Mullion win top table clashes

Sadly due to a rather streaky performance last weekend, Mullion 2s skipper Mark Johnson reverted to form and lost the toss. So it came to pass that under a cloudless blue Mullion sky, the home side took the field faced with the prospect of a hard 48 overs spent chasing the leather in the hot sun.

Fortunately Ian ("Buddha") Laity had failed to read the script. With his second ball breaking through the surface of the pitch, he enticed Thurgood into an attempted, and as it proved a rather unwise pull shot which ballooned up for Phil Harding to take a straightforward catch at midwicket. Overcome with emotion, Ian promptly then sent his first two balls to Floyd (the new batsman) wide down the leg side! Hey ho.

Phil Harding opened his account with a maiden but then the Buddha returned to centre stage and on the last ball of his second over Floyd, failing to learn the lesson of his predecessor, attempted a leg-side flick only to watch in horror as the ball gently looped up to Mullion chairman Dave Fowles fielding at silly mid-on. With three overs gone Beacon were 2 for 2 and reeling.

But Beacon may have been down but they certainly weren't out. With opener Taylor and skipper Ecclestone at the crease they managed to thwart the home side and put on 36 during the next 13 overs before Taylor mis-timed a drive off Ian Laity and Fowles smartly took the chance, displaying the agility she usually only uses when someone knocks his pint off the bar.

The pressure was on and with some superb ground fielding by the younger Mullion contingent of Jacob Rae, Ben Tremayne and Daniel Johnson managed to limit and damage reducing unstoppable hits from fours into singles. Skipper Ecclestone began to accelerate and Beacon were 72 for 5 and well set.

When Ecclestone fell lbw with the score on 85 for 6, this was the beginning of the end for Beacon. The last four wickets tumbled for only three runs. Mark Johnson and Gary Tremayne sharing the spoils as Beacon were all out for 88.

After an early tea, the Mullion openers Joe Stuteley and Mark Jennings carried on from where they had left off the previous weekend. Excellent running between the wickets helped to push the score along and 69 runs were added without loss. The partnership was broken when Stutley, facing Hagger, played on - the ball ricocheting from bat to wicket courtesy of his elbow.

This brought Bruce Jordan to the crease, and with a further 20 runs required for victory, the Mullion machine was now unstoppable. Skipper Mark Johnson (having been released back into the umpiring community on licence) called a wide on the sixth ball of the over, only to call "over" with his next breath.

Fortunately for Mullion, Jordan and Jennings remained firmly on planet cricket, and with the scores level, Jordan swept to the square leg boundary to complete a comprehensive nine-wicket victory for the home side.

A special mention should be given to the four Under-11 boys playing for Beacon. Their batting, bowling and fielding was exemplary and bodes well for the future.

Beacon 3s† 88 in 25 ov in (D Eccleston 41; G Tremayne 3-20); Mullion 2s 92-1 in 20 ov (J Stuteley 30, M Jennings 28no) Mullion won by 9 wickets

If Mullion 1s felt disappointed a fortnight ago after such a simple victory, Saturday's fixture with high flyers Chacewater couldn't have been a more stark contrast.

The hosts, opting to bat first on a dry pitch started superbly cashing in on some loose bowling from the Mullion seam attack being 120 at the half way point for the loss of only one wicket and on course for a mammoth total.

But skipper Jim Pearson put faith in former skipper Kevin Bosustow - his viscous spin caused havoc and with the rest of the Mullion side remaining sharp in the field the visitors staged a respectable comeback restricting Chacewater to 230 for 9 with Bosustow deserving full credit for his maiden five wicket haul conceding just 44 runs off 12 overs. Paul Warbis bowled a tight second spell taking 2 for 57.

Although confident of chasing down the total Mullion were dealt a blow when opener Trevor Lee had to bat down the order after picking up a bang in the field. Phil `winge bag' Wheatley who for many years was asked to open the innings was able to fill those shoes with relative ease as he blasted a beautiful 107, shots pushed into all areas of the ground and Mullion looked on course to secure victory with overs to spare.

A dodgy call between captain Wheatley resulted in the centurion marching back to the pavilion run out with 14 overs remaining and the score on 155.

Keith Warbis and Pearson steadied the ship and with a useful 43 before Warbis holed out for 19 and Mullion needed 33 off 35 balls. Mark Hall edged the visitors closer but was bowled by Tom Armstrong and Mullion still needed 22 with 21 balls - the game was dangling on the edge of an sun-baked crevasse.

A couple of hefty blows late on by Warbis looked to swing the game in Mullions favour but he found long on, 6 needed from 7. With Pearson run out for a patient 48 on the second ball of the last over the game seemed to be eluding Mullion - six needed off four balls.

Enter Matthew Cuff who with four required off the final two balls launched into the shot of the game smashing a text book drive past the long on fielder to secure a deserved victory with a ball to spare and a game that could not only decide the league winners but will remain in the memory for a very long time.

Chacewater 1s † 230-9 in 48 ov (A Widdison 92; K Bosustow 5-44); Mullion 1s 231-7 in 47.5 ov (P Wheatley 107) Mullion 1s won by 3 wickets