Menheniot Looe v St Neot

The cricket season is under way. The sun shone on a well-prepared wicket at Fourgates and runs flowed. The spirit of cricket was in obvious evidence between two village clubs which compete but get on well with each other.

Luke Ripley, recently returned from a year in the Antipodes, got the home side's innings off to a brisk start timing the ball well from the first over.

Regular opener Josh Geary secured the other end and a most promising partnership developed. Tidy spin bowling from Harry Sawyers and David Brice provided a useful early season challenge. Ripley fell to an athletic return catch from medium pacer Jamie Eldridge but, with a solid platform set, the Menheniot Looe batsmen were able to accelerate the scoring rate to a substantial total. Ross Ripley struck three boundaries through midwicket in one over. The aggressive Peter Nance completed his half century with two large sixes.

St Neot worked hard in the field, James Rogers running out a surprised Andrew Keeble with an accurate throw. However, 246 from 40 overs was a strong outcome for early April.

Tea provided an opportunity to watch the Grand National – not surprisingly for cricketers, no one seemed to have backed the winner Many Clouds.

The St Neot innings began disastrously with five wickets falling in the first nine overs.

Cadan Hitchens, returning to cricket after a year out, moved the ball sufficiently to hit the stumps four times. Tom Rogers bowled a lively spell at the other end. However, a sixth wicket partnership of 91 between the battling Graham Kent and the smooth driving David Brice rescued the innings. For a while the target run rate was matched, but after Phil Shepley surprised Kent with a quicker leg spinner, the innings faded away. For both sides, the match proved to be a useful and enjoyable work out.

Menheniot Looe beat St Neot by 91 runs