CORNWALL Over 50s’ second team will visit their Essex counterparts in the Second XI County Championship quarter-finals following a superb victory over Surrey at Mount Ambrose on Wednesday.

The Duchy were in dire straits at 25-4 in the eighth over following a going over by Aqib Sandhu, but recovered superbly to post 241-8.

Boconnoc’s Mike Blake (33) and Saltash’s Alex Johnson started the fightback with a stand of 98 before four wickets fell in quick succession (148-8).

However, step forward Luckett’s Adrian Berry and Truro’s Carl Murphy as they thrashed an unbroken 91 from just 55 balls.

Berry’s 41 came from 28 deliveries, while Murphy’s 35-ball knock saw him reach 50.

The visitors were well on top at 74-1 in reply, but despite continuing to put together partnerships, couldn’t quite kick on as they fell to 158-4 in the 34th over.

With six wickets in-hand that was doable, however the home attack held their nerve superbly to restrict the Londoners to 222-7. Man-of-the-match Murphy led the way with 2-33, while opening partner Dick Turpin (Duloe) went at just three to the over.

St Neot’s Spencer Ham (2-66) and Neil Spencer (2-40) picked up key wickets, while Berry’s 1-37 was also tidy.

Cornwall head to Essex on Wednesday, August 5 bidding to reach the last four.

The first team are also through to the knockout rounds of the main cup competition after cruising past Dorset at Wadebridge on the same day.

Camborne’s Martin Jenkin was the star of the show with 102 as he and St Just legend Gary Thomas (56) put on 103 for the third wicket to propel them to a highly-competitive 254-9 from their 45 overs.

Dorset, who hadn’t won a game in the competition, reached 72-0 in reply, however they slipped to 85-5 with Grampound Road off-spinner David Neville taking 4-19.

The visitors scrambled their way to 185 all out, but were undone by Mark Harvey’s (St Just) 5-37.

Cornwall finished fourth in the Group Three, just two points behind Wiltshire, and now await to see whether they will be in the main Cup or Plate draw.