Devon Cricket Board - Luffman and Hooper keep cool in derby hot house

Luffman and Hooper keep cool in derby hot house

SKIPPERS past and present Steve Luffman and Matt Hooper kept cool in the hot house of a local derby to steer Plymouth to a four wicket win over Cornwood.

Cornwood total of 150 for nine may not have looked formidable at the end of their 50 overs – but when Plymouth were 90 for five having lost Jake Luffman and Harry Stepheson in the space of eight balls it was a challenge.

Opener en stone had already gone for 28 and South African Gionne Koopman was long gone for 30.

Cornwood spinner Elliot Staddon (4-49) was causing the problems and when he added John Varcoe to his collection the city side were 103 for six.

Former captain Luffman has been around a long time – he is officially the oldest player in the Premier Division this season at 50 – and knew occupation of the crease was all that mattered with 22 overs left to make 46 to win.

Current captain Hooper has made some useful scores down the order in recent weeks and when one was needed he came up with the goods.

Hooper’s 31 not out off 43 balls kept the board ticking over while Luffman (22no) was uncharacteristically restrained at the other end.

Earlier. Cornwood didn’t get the best of starts as Plymouth’s veteran seamer Dave Burke picked off Chris Parker and Steve Lambert in the first five overs then, after Jackson Thompson (30) started to get going, he had Mark Horwell as well.

When Thompson fell lbw to Sam Stein (3-43), Cornwood were wobbling at 58 for four – whicb became 58 for five when skipper Jason Hall was bowled by Stein for none.

Craig Harris (22), Matt Skeemer (12) and Byron Langley (22) all contributed to a lower-order fightback that saw 92 added to make a respectable total.

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