Trees out of the bottom two after Blazey success

HOLSWORTHY’S survival bid is now in their own hands following a 28-run success over St Blazey at Stanhope Park on Saturday.

The Trees were six points adrift of Menheniot-Looe having been thrashed by eight wickets at Werrington Seconds a week earlier, but produced a fine all-round performance.

They found themselves 42-3 with seamer Angus Harley taking out Jack Greening, Aiden Gerry and Brendan Harris, but despite the visitors’ four-pronged spin attack proving tough to score off at times, they ground their way to 180-9.

A 67-run stand between Sam Stacey and Ryan Walter led the response, Stacey striking nine fours in his 53, before Walter (35) was joined by youngster Rory Piper who added a crucial 28 before being last man out.

Blazey’s key batsmen, skipper Rory Dixon and South African overseas star Henro Bouwer, were in early together as Holsworthy’s overseas Bilal Darbar soon dismissed Jowan Isbell and Josh Carne.

With the visitors far from full strength and with veteran left-arm spinner Graham Wild having the ball on a string, they found it tough despite making 30 and 47 respectively.

Dixon edged impressive youngster Dan Lucas behind, and when Bouwer and Olly Mitchell went in quick succession to the miserly Wild (2-18 off 9) the visitors were in trouble.

Nithin Gowda (19) and Harley (29) threatened, but the home attack – led by Greening’s 4-24 from his nine overs, held their nerve to run out comfortable winners as the visitors were dismissed with three overs to spare.

Their afternoon was also improved massively by Menheniot-Looe picking up just three at St Austell Seconds, meaning that heading into the final three games of the season, they moved up to third bottom, 11 ahead of the drop zone.

The Trees visit Lanhydrock on Saturday (1pm).