ELLIS May took four wickets in one over, including a hat-trick, as Vinter Cup holders St Just set up a semi-final with last year’s finalists Penzance following a comfortable eight-wicket success over Perranporth on Tuesday night.

In the first-ever competitive meeting between the two clubs, the Pilchards – mid-table in County Division One – found themselves 22-4 after May’s superb intervention, before they scrambled their way up to 122 all out as teenager Logan Curnow claimed 3-12 from his 3.1 overs.

Perranporth needed early wickets – and plenty of them – to have any chance, but after the six-over powerplay had seen Neil Curnow and Scott Harvey put on 52.

Harvey eventually went for 38 and Ellis May fell to the economical Rhys Evans (1-17 off 4), but Curnow continued on his way to 60 not out.

The tie had been put back a few days due to the poor weather, but after choosing to bat, Perranporth started decently via skipper Harry Watkins and Cameron Bishop.

But the fifth over changed the game completely as young seamer May had Watkins caught by dad Gareth for 12 off the second ball.

Henry Stephenson survived his first delivery before a remarkable three balls saw Stephenson lbw, Finley Stribley bowled and Matt Whitten lbw to spark wild scenes at Cape Road.

At 42-4 after eight overs the innings was going nowhere, but the surviving Bishop decided to take the game on as 10 came off Chamikara Edirisinghe’s first over, which was followed by 13 off the next bowled by Gareth May. However, Bishop’s cameo (34 off 29) was curtailed when he was caught off the final ball of May’s first to leave them 65-5 at the halfway point.

Thirty came off the next four overs as Josh Anderson and Tyler Murrell fought back, but Anderson was bowled for 21 by off-spinner Phil Nicholas (102-6).

With five overs remaining the visitors would have hoped to push towards 140, but two wickets in as many balls in the next over from Logan Curnow, including Murrell for 22, put pay to that, although they did eventually get to 122.

In reply, St Just’s experienced openers Neil Curnow and Scott Harvey knew getting through the new ball was key, however, Harvey played his shots as Curnow settled in.

Harvey struck 38 from 32 balls (three fours, three sixes) before being bowled by Watkins, but at the halfway point had eased to 78-1.

Evans struck in the next when he bowled Ellis May for four, however Curnow continued his scintillating form by ending unbeaten on 60 from 49 balls with eight fours as the winning runs came with 18 deliveries to spare.

The highly-anticipated semi-final with Penzance will take place at Redruth on Monday night with a 6pm start.

The other last four tie is this evening at the same ground as Helston and Camborne meet (6pm).