MOMENTUM has stayed in St Gluvias’ second team after a tense win at home to St Newlyn East on Saturday.

The Penryn-based side claimed a three wicket victory after bowling out their opponents for 135 with significant contributions from Sam Duckham, who had bowling figures of three for 38 and scored 22 not out, Richard Bannister, who hit 31 runs and had figures of two for 19, and Chris Johnson who scored 33.

Goldstithney remain top of Division Four West of the Cornwall Cricket League, with the Saints sitting in the second promotion place just one point ahead of Perranporth, who beat fourth placed Mount Ambrose by two wickets on Saturday.

Home captain Kevin Hawke won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Andrew Bowden had Newyln’s skipper Neil Curnow caught in the slips for zero by Mark Snowdon in the third over.

Alan and Joe Martyn had taken the score to 26 before Duckham had the former caught for eight by Hawke.

Jack Thompson and Martyn took the score to 72 after an expensive over from Hawke, but Bannister had the latter caught by Joe Nesbitt at mid on, after he initially juggled it.

Bannister and Nesbitt repeated the trick to have Abajhit Kumbar for two caught before Sam Kruse removed the free scoring Thompson for 28, who was caught on the boundary by Mat Ambrose as he tried to up his side’s slow scoring rate.

Gary Thompson and Bill Murgatroyd put on a gritty ninth wicket partnership to make the visitor’s innings more respectable and the game was halted twice for rain losing one over. Their resiliance was finally ended when Hawke bowled Murgatroyd for 13 with the score at 135.

Then there was a stroke of luck for the home side as number 11 Kevin Gibbard hit the ball straight back at Hawke. It hit him on the hand as he went to catch it and crashed onto the stumps, running out non striker Thompson on 21.

In response, the home side lost Joe Nesbitt for a duck after he was bowled by Kevin Gibbard with the score on eight.

Fellow opener Bannister was as attacking as ever at the other end crashing the first ball he faced for a six out of the ground, but Neil Pearce fell next LBW for one to Thompson during his impressive spell of bowling.

Mat Ambrose and Richard Bannister took the score to 46 before Mat Ambrose picked the fielder Murgatroyd at backward point off Thompson.

Bannister went for 31 after a ball came up off a length and was caught by a diving Abajhit Kumbar in the cordon. Hawke came to the crease and dug in to see of Thompson’s final three overs.

Hawke was then caught behind by Liam Dent off of Adam Tythcott for one before Mark Snowdon followed for a duck, being bowled by Tythcott trying to find the boundary. St Gluvias needed 40 from 21 overs at this stage.

Johnson, the host’s last recognised batsman, then got caught in the covers by Thompson off of his father Gary's bowling for 33, meaning the Saints had lost 3 wickets for no runs.

Duckham put some acceleration back to the innings as he smashed Murgatroyds first three balls straight down the ground for four, six and four and the bowler was taken off after one over.

Bowden came to the crease and batted sensibly keeping out a maiden from the accurate Thompson. Duckham from the other end continued to attack as captain Curnow went for six from his first over as the target whittled down to 20 from 19 overs.

Both batsman settled down taking singles and protecting their wickets before Bowden sent a ball from Curnow through the covers for a well timed four and St Gluvias needed just four from 13 overs.

Bowden then played an identical shot up to the huge boundary toward the clubhouse and St Gluvias claimed another win.

The next two weekends will prove pivotal in the side’s promotion chase as they welcome Perranporth on Saturday before travelling to Mount Ambrose a week later.