Gunnislake travelled across the border into Devon on Saturday, to face Holsworthy’s second team. Gunnislake’s hopes were high following a convincing win the previous Saturday, while Holsworthy have been struggling with more availability problems that the visitors. And Gunnislake’s hopes were rewarded with a convincing nine wicket victory.
Gunnislake won the toss and invited Holsworthy to bat. From the offset Lee Roberts and Dinesh Thirupuvanarajah bowled with great economy, bowling a tight line and length with occasional swing and movement off the pitch. Roberts bowled opener Dan Tap with his first ball to leave Holsworthy one down with only four runs on the board. After that disastrous start, Holsworthy played with caution, and the total crept up at little more than two an over. By halfway the score had nudged up to 53 for 3; something more was needed.
Jack May and Adam Lovejoy brought some purpose to the home side’s innings, adding 41 runs in 9 overs, before Ian Dawe struck for Gunnislake. Playing his first game of the season, after a series of injuries, Dawe bowled May for 29, with a beautiful full length ball that came in slightly to demolish leg stump. Two overs later he induced a false shot from Lovejoy, who was caught at deep mid-on, after scoring 30. Holsworthy were wobbling at 100 for 5, and from there things only got worse. The tail fell away in a manner more frequently reminiscent of a Gunnislake batting collapse. Russ Holloway enjoyed bowling at the tailenders and quickly wrapped up the innings with 4 for 12, as Holsworthy subsided to 116 all out. It looked a score well below par; the ship was holed below the waterline but had limped into harbour.
The Gunnislake reply was sure and steady, and in cruise control for much of the innings. Dan Pethick was brutal to leg side, pulling, sweeping and driving with force. Sam Graber played with class, clipping to leg, driving and cutting anything short and wide. The score, which had been racing along at over five an over, took a leap in the eleventh over as Pethick hit overdrive. Change bowler Oisin O’Kelly was hit for two sixes and a four. But Kelly had his revenge in the next over, getting Pethick out caught at long-on, eight short of his half century. Was there a glimmer of hope for Holsworthy? Alas not, Graber was joined by Paul Hollow, and the remaining runs were knocked off in six overs. Graber finished on 60 not out as Gunnislake ran out victors by nine wickets, with less than half the allocated overs needed.
And so a strong Gunnislake eleven collected the maximum 20 points while Holsworthy had to settle for only two; Holsworthy had been sunk without trace. For Gunnislake, it was an all-round competent display in the field and a team effort by bowlers. The Gunnislake reply with the bat was, however, in a different class. Graber and Pethick will have to share this week’s man of the match honours!
Next week Gunnislake face the sterner test of a match at home to league leaders Wadebridge. As well as the home crowd urging them on, there will probably much interest in the match from Gorran and Buckland Monachorum, as the three-way battle for promotion draws towards a conclusion. With Gorran being the final fixture in three weeks’ time, Gunnislake may yet have a big say in who gets that promotion!
Holsworthy II 116 (A Lovejoy 30, J May 29; R Holloway 4-12, L Roberts 2-25, I Dawe 2-26), Gunnislake 117-1 (S Graber 62no, D Pethick 42no). Gunnislake (20 points) beat Holsworthy II (2 points) by 9 wickets.
