ECB Cornwall Premier League round-up – Saturday, August 22

PENZANCE need just four points to retain their Cornwall Cricket League Premier Division title.

The defending champions picked up maximum reward from their home encounter against Helston, winning the contest by 31 runs.

Put into bat, the hosts lost openers Jack Paull and Christian Purchase with just 38 on the board – and Charlie Sharland and Basil Akram followed them into the sheds with the score on 84-4.

However, a fifth wicket partnership of 78 from Ollie Rayner and Grant Thomson helped get the hosts back on track. Rayner departed for 45, whilst Thomson would go on to hit an unbeaten 95 in their total of 257-8.

Sunshine Osmont (3-46) was the pick of the Helston attack, whilst there were two apiece for Jayden Mitchell and Bryn Evans.

In reply, Billy Taylor (55) and Karl Leathley (38) led the run chase, but it was all in vain as the Penzance bowlers shared out the wickets to claim victory.

Wadebridge, who were hot on the heels of the leaders going into the weekend, saw their title hopes disappear as they lost at Werrington.

The hosts won the toss and elected to bat, but it was a decision they were beginning to rue as they slumped to 45 for four. Thankfully, Thulina Dilshan had no such issues, smashing a superb 92, as Werrington posted a total of 193 all out.

Matt Rowe (3-26) and Matt Lawrence (3-34) starred with the ball for the Bridgers, whose response was to see people get in, then out, with increasing regularity. Rowe top scored with 36 in a disappointing chase which saw them dismissed for 151.

Mark Taskis (3-33), Adam Hodgson (3-20) and Smith (3-23) shared out the wickets.

Fourth-placed Callington collected their 10th win with a 112-run victory at Redruth.

Pro Chris Dent smashed his way to 70, including five fours and two sixes, as the visitors posted a total of 214 all out.

Ellis Whiteford’s five for 20 from nine overs accounted for half the Callington batters, whilst there were two more for Ethan Best.

Redruth’s reply got off to a solid enough start with Toby Whiteford and Toby Stoddard adding 81 between them, but once they both departed so the chase fell away. Liam Lindsay did the damage for Cally, he finished with figures of (5-23) from eight overs, while Matt Whalley, who had earlier scored 32, then took (3-9) from six overs.

St Austell preserved their Premier status with an 81-run success at Camborne.

A season’s best of 87 from Gianluca Longo, coupled with 61 from skipper Alex Bone, were the highlights as the Saints posted a total of 219-6.

It was then the turn of bowlers, Andrew Libby (4-24) and Conway Gilbert (3-9) to do their bit as Camborne mustered just 138, 40 of which came from Alfie MacDonald.

In the basement battle between Grampound Road and St Just, it was the latter who claimed a three-wicket win.

The Roadies elected to bat, but had no answer to the pace of Logan Curnow, who took 8-49 in a devastating spell of bowling. He accounted for Ravi Karunaratha (58) and Harry Matthews (33), while Ben Stevens trapped skipper Tom Orpe in front for 37 as they posted a total of 162.

St Just’s chase was led by Scott Harvey’s 59, while Curnow weighed in with 38. Dave Neville took 3-28.