A tremendous game of cricket at Mullion on Saturday ended in the last over with the home team causing an upset to defeat Truro by just six runs, and in doing so breathing life into their season, as they bid to avoid the drop. Though it was Truro's fourth reverse of the season they are still in touch at the top end of the table, 25 points behind leaders Falmouth with 10 games to go.

Needing a challenging 247 to win all looked well for Truro as openers Kent and Neil Stoddard added 34 in 12 overs. Gareth Taylor, enjoying a fine match, got one to cut back up the hill to bowl Stoddard for 12. Shortly after Kent, attempting a pull over mid wicket, only succeeded in skiing a catch to van Allemann, the keeper, for 24.

Tom Sharp looked in good form but dragged a ball from PaulWarbis onto his stumps, having made 23. Julian Bose was brilliantly caught overhead by Taylor off spinner Corne Kreil for 22 and Mark Thomas got an edge, attempting a pull shot, to be caught by Taylor at cover. Truro were in some trouble at 101-5. An excellent sixth wicket stand of 88 between Mark Adams and Daniel Martin looked to be swinging the match back to the city side, but Danny Gillman trapped Martin lbw for 29 with 10 overs to go. Adams, having hit eight fours found Taylor on the deep mid wicket boundary to make it 201-7 and Stuart McNair was run out at 214-8 with five overs to go.

Truro, to their credit, had no thoughts of holding out for the losing draw points. Steve Gay, batting at eight, made 30 as the ask was brought down to 22 off three and 14 off two overs. Taylor took his third wicket (for 47 runs) when Gay edged to the 'keeper.

Eight were needed off the last over bowled by Gillman. Chris Phillips drove to Kriel on the long on boundary and Kris Subramanian, on his debut having transferred from Falmouth, just failed to get back at the bowler's end for a second run to leave Mullion victorious.

Earlier Mullion, on electing to bat, got off to a positive start with Martin Van Allemann in particular playing his shots. A double change saw Gay and Martin pulled out of the attack to be replaced by Phillips from the village end and Subramanian.

It was Phillips who got the breakthrough when he bowled Dave Lockwood for eight at 60-2 in the 14th over. Kriel became a second victim for Phillips when Gay snatched up a chance at slip.

Van Allemann dominated the early part of the innings and reached a deserved 50. It was Truro skipper Tom Sharp who eventually dismissed him when he held onto a return catch to make it 137-3. He hit 14 fours and a five off 120 balls.

The rest of the innings belonged to Gareth Taylor. Showing his form of last season he played a number of superb shots finding the boundary on 15 occasions.

He lost Kevin Bosustow, Paul Warbis and Danny Gillman who were all dismissed cheaply by Jonathan Kent. Taylor found a good partner in Jim Pearson as the pair added an unbroken 52 for the seventh wicket to take the Mullion total to 246-6 in their 55 overs. Taylor just fell short of what would have been a well deserved century. His 94 not out was made off just 96 balls in 100 minutes. Pearson made a useful 22 not out. Kent took 3-46 from 12 overs and Phillips 2-43 from 13 overs.

Both clubs face interesting games this weekend with Truro visiting St Just while Mullion host St Buryan.

MULLION

M van Allemann c&b T Sharp 87

D Lockwood b C Phillips 8

C Kriel c S Gay b C Phillips 6

G Taylor not out 94

K Bosustow lbw b J Kent 5

P Warbis lbw b J Kent 0

D Gillman c S McNair b J Kent 9

J Pearson not out 22

Extras 15

Total ( 6 wkts, 55 overs) 246

Fall: 60-82-137-158-174-194

Bowling: S Gay 4-2-11-0, D Martin 3-0-28-0, C Phillips 13-1-43-2-, K Subrananian 12-4-37-0, J Kent 12-3-46-3, T Sharp 11-0-68-1

TRURO

J Kent c M van Allemann b G Taylor 24

N Stoddard b G Taylor 12

T Sharp b P Warbis 23

J Bose c G Taylor b C Kriel 22

Mk Thomas c G Taylor b P Warbis 5

M Adams c G Taylor b C Kriel 65

D Martin lbw b D Gillman 29

S Gay c M van Allemann b G Taylor 30

S McNair run out 4

C Phillips not out 5

K Subramanian run out 0

Extras 21

Total (54-1 overs) 240

Fall: 34-47-84-90-101-187-201-214-239-240

Bowling: D Gillman 15.1-1-71-1, G Taylor 12-2-47-3, P Warbis 10-3-41-2, C Kriel 15-3-53-2, D Lockwood 2-0-16-0

Umpires: D Gasgoigne and R Fine

Mullion (20pts) beat Truro (8pts) by 6 runs.