By Stephen Lees

Gunnislake CC latest round-up

Playing catch-up after early season postponements, Gunnislake had a second double header weekend, winning both games to find themselves second in the Cornwall Cricket League Division Five East table. 

A relatively comfortable win against Werrington Fourths was followed on Sunday by a really close match at Roche Thirds, where Gunnislake ultimately scrambled to a one-wicket victory.

Hosting Werrington, Gunnislake won the toss and chose to bat. 

But a stuttering start had to be rescued by Joe Organ who hit 41 before being bowled by Tom Petherick. 

Captain Dinesh Thirupuvanarajah then took up the attack, but when he was out for 34 the Gunnislake score was a below par 138-6. 

Kevin Beare (18no) then expertly marshalled the tail before Gunnislake closed on 164 all out, with four wickets each for Petherick and Tyler Jasper.

Werrington began their reply with the experienced former first team player Nigel Dennis and Matthew Gilmour. They batted steadily and rarely looked in trouble. 

Lee Roberts was his usual accurate, miserly self with six maidens in his ten-over spell, spoiled only in the last over which went for ten runs. 

Nevertheless Werrington were restricted to 58 off the first 20 overs, but importantly had all their wickets intact. 

The breakthrough came with the score on 64, when Gilmour fell to a sharp catch in the covers by Jake Beare. 

A mini collapse followed with Nigel Dennis the crucial wicket, caught at long-on by Russ Holloway for 41. 

By now the score was 88-4, the overs were running down and Gunnislake had suddenly become favourites. 

At 92-6 it looked all over, but a late defiant knock from skipper Keith Moore took the score to 131 before he was eighth out for 28.

From there the tail failed to wag and Werrington were all out for 135, handing victory to Gunnislake by 29 runs. The wickets were shared between Dean Organ and Kevin Beare (three each) and four for man of the match Joe Organ.

Iconic Opticians man of the match: Joe Organ. 

The next day saw a trip to Roche Thirds for what looked like an easier game on paper, but it turned out to be a nail-biter. 

In damp drizzle Roche were asked to bat and set off at a lively pace scoring at slightly over four an over. 

Fred Kertai was particularly aggressive, hitting 26, but wickets fell at regular intervals. The only other batsman to get set was Jolyon Walker, who scored well by stepping across his stumps to hit the ball to leg. 

When he was run out for 27, hampered by a tight hamstring, Dean Organ and Kevin Beare once again polished off the tail, leaving Roche all out for 128.

The Gunnislake reply also started at speed, with Joe Organ crashing four fours, before being well caught in the covers by Fred Kertai for 16. 

From there wickets tumbled, leaving Gunnislake perched precariously on 35-5. Stephen Lees, batting at six, dug in at one end while Kevin Beare at the other helped rebuild the innings. 

Runs were accumulated steadily, but just as the 50 partnership was secured, Beare was caught at short extra cover as they then fell to 103-9.

Roche seemed content to let Lees take a single and attack new man Ian Dawe, while Gunnislake were happy to take every valuable run on offer. 

But Dawe had more ambitious ideas and hit a rapid 19, including two fours as Gunnislake scraped home by one wicket. Lees remained unbeaten on 31. 

The match was played in good spirit throughout, with the result in doubt until the end. But the visitors found a way to win to take 18 points and move ahead of Holsworthy Seconds.

Iconic Opticians man of the match: Stephen Lees.