LAUNCESTON?skipper, Robert Mutch, led from the front as they won the Division Two County Final by 44 runs against Beacon at a packed Bude.

After being put into bat after a wet outfield delayed the start by two and a quarter hours, which meant that the game was reduced to a T20 game, Launceston got off to a flyer as Michael Bolt (12) and Dan Tilley (23) put on 30 in three overs.

However, the Division Two East champions soon collapsed as Kris Martin (3-0-22-3) accounted for both men as well as Sam Pengelly for 0.

Kevin Worth soon followed for a duck to Dominic Batchelor (4-0-26-2) and the game was heading Beacon’s way.

However, Gavin Wallis (10) and Mutch (49no) rebuilt the innings before Wallis snicked Batchelor behind to wicket-keeper Matt Floyd who took a remarkable six catches out of the eight wickets to fall.

Michael Diebner (0) and Peter West (1) quickly followed before Mutch, who was starting to hit some of his trademark big shots, was joined by chairman Phil Spry who made ten.

In the end, Launceston scrambled up to 127-8 and were in with a chance.

Mutch decided to hold himself back and it was Pengelly who opened the bowling alongside West (4-0-12-3).

And although Pengelly kept things tight, it was West and Mutch (2.5-0-12-3) who tore into the Beacon batting line-up as only opener Darren Proctor with 43 passed double figures.

West accounted for key men James Gool and Jordan Thomas for 6 and 0 respectively before snaring captain Craig Thomas for a duck, caught behind by Tilley.

Off-spinner Ashley Taylor (4-0-22-1) and Matt Davey (4-0-13-1) kept up their end of the bargain as Proctor and the rest of the line-up tried to target them.

But with an escalating run-rate to contend with, wickets fell at regular intervals.

Mutch finished the game when Proctor was the last man out, caught at long-off by Diebner.

After two seasons of trying to get out of Division Two, Mutch admitted that it was the perfect way to end the season as they look forward to life back in County One next summer.

Mutch said: “It means everything to the boys, in particularly the older players like Pete West and Phil Spry who put in a lot of work off the field as well.

“We found ourselves in a lot of trouble when we batted as we collapsed against some decent bowling on a wet pitch.

“Thankfully everyone batted around me once I got in. Me and Gav steadied the ship and then me and Phil and Ash (Taylor) added runs at the end.

“We knew that 127 wasn’t a bad score. We aimed for 140 but 127 on that pitch was always going to be tough if we bowled well, and we did.

“The wicket was perfect for Widge (Peter West) and he mopped them up at the start including their best players.

“We talked about attacking in packs and everyone bowled really well.”

The Division Two County Final always gives both teams the chance to have a look at each other ahead of next year and Mutch believes that with the right acquistions, a top-six finish should be within reacch.

Mutch said:?“The final gave us a chance to have a sneak peak at them ahead of next year, Beacon are a decent side but we’ll be confident ahead of next year.

“I want to strengthen the side with two or three new players while we’re hoping that Kris Jasper will play for the whole of the season after coming back at the end of this year.

“We’d also like another good all-rounder and a batsman and a bowler so we’ll see what we can do, but I think that we should be aiming for a top-half finish next year if we play to our potential, while new signings will benefit the club as well so they can strengthen.

“We know we need to try and get the seconds into Division Three so new players will mean that we can strengthen all areas of the club ahead of next year.”