Singh on song in Torquay win

A QUICK-FIRE 49 from Gurpreet Singh and a five-wicket haul from left-arm spinner Ash Russell (5-21) has helped Torquay claim a third straight win to start the 2021-22 GCA2 season.

The Tigers posted 187 against St Peter’s at Spring Creek Reserve, before dismissing the visitors for 173.

It came after the Saints were cruising at 1-100 on the back of half centuries to Hayden Illingworth (52) and Luke Ford (55), but the introduction of Russell into the attack changed the course of the game.

Torquay captain Terry Hill said he was confident his side had posted a strong enough total to defend on its home wicket.

“I thought it was a pretty fair score on that deck,” Hill said.

“A total of 187 was really good and we had a fair few contributors through the match and our recruit Gurpreet Singh excelled and got the run rate going for us through that middle-to-late period, which was nice, and Ash has done it two weeks in a row now.

“He is an old stalwart but he always gets the job done when I throw him the ball, so it is nice.

“We work really well together and Ash just came on and tightened the screws through that middle period and on a deck like it was yesterday he just really took control of the game and put pressure on the batsman, which is exactly what we asked, and he got five poles along the way, which was nice.”

Hill praised the depth of his squad with the bat and the ball, saying it was a good feeling to be skipper of the team knowing he could call on nearly anyone to do a job at any point in a match.

“It is nice being the captain when you have got eight bowlers in your side and you bat really, really deep,” he said.

“I think everyone knows their roles and that has been a big thing for us this year, and everyone is on board, which is nice.

“It is an old cliché but we look at every week, so we have got a good side and we know that, but at the same time you just have to get it done.

“Early wins are everything for us, though, and we have really put an emphasis on before Christmas and so far, so good.”

Pictures: Mark Wilson Torquay’s Gurpreet Singh bowls after his electric 49 runs in the first innings; and (below) St Peter’s batsman Luke Ford watches to see if he has beaten the Tigers fielder.