Graeme Murray produced an iconic spell of fast swing bowling, taking eight wickets, to lead Gunnislake to a 85 runs win over St Stephen II.
St Stephen won the toss and asked Gunnislake to bat. Against some good opening bowling Kevin Beare and Stephen Lees made a steady start, scoring at close to three an over. The partnership came to an end when Lees was hit on the head taking a quick single and had to retire hurt. His replacement, Joe Organ, took up the reins and when there was a change of bowlers the run rate began to accelerate. The first wicket fell in the fourteenth over when Beare was bowled by the off-breaks of St Stephen skipper Richard Budge. James Boundy joined Organ at the crease and the runs began to flow. Boundy was looking in great form, with two straight sixes to his name, when he missed a straight one and was also bowled by Budge, gone for 28. The score at this point was 105 for 2 after 21 overs; still a good position for Gunnislake.
A pattern developed, with runs at one end, and Budge playing on the minds of Gunnislake from the other. When the captain, Dinesh Thirupuvanarajah was out, again bowled by Budge, Gunnislake lost three quick wickets. At the other end Joe Organ stayed firm, passing his fifty and using his feet and reach to negate the spin of Budge. He finally found some support from Ian Dawe, who cracked a quick 19. But just as some were wondering about three figures Organ met his end, bowled by the returning opening bowler Miller. Nevertheless a calm but aggressive 80, with barely a chance offered, was an outstanding effort. There was a brief final flurry, led by number eleven James Pethick, which left Gunnislake two runs short of 200 runs and maximum batting points. Budge finished with figures of 7 for 50 from his ten overs.
St Stephen set off on their reply with gusto, nine runs coming from the first over. But Murray, coming up the hill, was quick off the mark, bowling Joe Newnes off his pads, with an inswinging delivery with his second ball. Josh Lawther fell next ball and as Gunnislake gathered for a possible hat-trick ball, Murray repeated the same ball, with an inswinging yorker. Oliver Budge played and missed and the hat-trick was completed, leaving St Stephen reeling at 9 for 3! Enter Richard Budge, who tried to take the attack to Gunnislake, finding the boundary with two fours and two sixes as the score rattled along. At seven an over there was no problem with the run rate, but very other over St Stephen had to confront an inspired Murray. The second opener, Richard Sargent went in Murray’s next over, bowled yet again. Then in Murray’s fourth over Budge was also bowled to leave St Stephen teetering at 41 for 6.
Defence was not an option, so St Stephen’s keeper, Craig Coad, began to return fire with fire. A damaged calf muscle left him limping and trusting to good co-ordination, rather than foot movement. A style more often seen on a baseball pitch was, however, very effective and a brief recovery ensued. Eventually, however, another Gunnislake bowler joined the party, Ian Dawe inducing a bottom edge to see Miller caught behind. But Murray was not done; Tilly Dodd was well caught at first slip by Joe Organ for wicket seven. Then Murray got his eighth victim and seventh clean bowled when William Harvey departed without troubling the scorers. Coad was still in at the other end, but finally sliced a drive into the safe hands of Joe Organ, back-pedalling from slip, to take the catch off the bowling of James Boundy.
In less than twenty overs the St Stephen ship had sunk and Gunnislake had stormed to an 85 runs win. The stage was set by Joe Organ’s excellent knock, but it was Graeme Murray who took the honours with bowling figures of eight wickets for thirty runs. It was a fine example of accurate swing bowling at pace that would have graced a much higher level.
With one match to go, Gunnislake inch up one place to fourth in the table, but three teams are separated by a meagre 5 points. With the Cornwall League to move to ten team divisions next year the final matches and final placings and could be crucial!
Iconic Opticians Man of the Match: Graeme Murray, with a special mention for Joe Organ.
Gunnislake 198 (J Organ 80, J Boundy 28; R Budge 7-50). St Stephen II 113 (C Coad 51, R Budge 21; G Murray 8-39). Gunnislake (19 points) beat St Stephen II (7 points) by 85 runs.
