After the Friday downpours the skies cleared and Gunnislake headed west for an away fixture at Pencarrow, against table topping Wadebridge III. Except for one player, who travelled to Wadebridge first, before still arriving in good time. Well done Minty! There were a few changes in the team, with captain Dinesh Thirupuvanarajah called over to Canada and three other regulars missing. But James Boundy and Stephen Lees took over the reins, with a challenging day in prospect.
Gunnislake won the toss and asked Wadebridge to bat on a hard wicket that had been covered all week. Graham Murray, fresh from his travels, opened at one end, bowling with speed. Sean Mortimer complemented him from the Pavilion End, with guile, variation and a little swing. Mortimer kept one end tight while Murray seemed more likely to get the breakthrough but was a little more expensive. And indeed Murray bowled Lucas Stewart in the ninth over to get that first wicket with only 25 on the board. Four overs later he repeated the trick to remove Arthur Skinner for 20. Two more wickets quickly fell, one each for Mortimer and Paul Hollow, and Wadebridge were on the back foot at 48 for 4.
Robert Centini and Jack Gill began to rebuild the innings, steadily at first but with increasing authority. After drinks at halfway James Boundy brought himself on to bowl off-spin, but things did not work out. The run rate climbed steadily and Gill in particular found the boundary with great regularity. Centini was no slouch but seemed content to play a supporting role. Boundy was hit out of the attack and Gunnislake turned to the gentle, accurate seam of Ian Duckworth. However Gill continued to plunder, reaching his maiden century before eventually getting bowled off his pads following a tired heave to leg. Duckworth finally had his man, but the damage was done. Gill had fallen for a career best 115 while Wadebridge had reached 213 for 5. Murray had a consolation wicket in his final over, but Wadebridge closed on 228 for 6, with Centini unbeaten on 63.
The Gunnislake reply was steady but not spectacular. Runs were hard to come by against a fast and accurate Wadebridge attack. Hopes of an easier ride against the change bowlers failed to materialise, as Wadebridge proved why they were top of the table. Ollie Allen, Jake Boyling and Lucas Stewart all had the Gunnislake batsmen hopping about in their crease. When they tired, seasoned campaigner Stuart Parkyn belied his years and was equally threatening. Sensing relief against the more gentle spin of Arthur Skinner, Gunnislake were lulled into a trap, with Skinner taking two quick wickets. From there Wadebridge were on top. Paul Hollow and James Boundy made it into the twenties, but wickets fell regularly and Gunnislake were always behind the run rate.
With seven wickets down Graham Murray and Sean Mortimer shepherded Gunnislake to 120 runs and a third batting point, but the last three wickets fell for only two runs and Gunnislake fell well short on 131. Despite a valiant rearguard action, the relentless Wadebridge attack had won out. Lucas Stewart and Arthur Skinner finished with three wickets each, and to cap a fine performance the last two wickets fell to man of the match Jack Gill. A message there to the Wadebridge selectors who had dropped him from their second team!
Meanwhile Gunnislake slip to a still respectable sixth in the table. We go again next week at home to St Minver when we hope to make up some lost ground.
Wadebridge III 228 for 6 (J Gill 115, R Centini 63no; G Murray 3-63), Gunnislake 131 (G Murray 27, J Boundy 26, P Hollow 24; L Stewart 3-11, A Skinner 3-38). Wadebridge III (20 points) beat Gunnislake (6 points) by 97 runs.