BRADLEYS VINTER CUP FINAL AT CAMBORNE CC

St Just 153-7 (20), Penzance 109 (17.4).

ST JUST produced one of their best Vinter Cup victories as they eased past much-fancied Penzance by 44 runs to win a 20th crown.

St Just skipper Gareth May chose to bat and saw his side post a highly-competitive 153-7, a total, which if reached, would have been the highest successful run chase in the tournament’s 84-year history.

Skipper Brad Wadlan got Penzance off to a flier, before the wheels fell off in spectacular fashion as they were dismissed for just 107 in front of a partisan crown at Camborne’s Warrior Park.

Brad Wadlan.
Penzance skipper Brad Wadlan drives through the off-side during his 37. (Picture: Michael Weeks). (Michael Weeks.)

Despite being available, Wadlan chose not to utilise Josh Croom, Tommy Sturgess and Nic Halstead-Cleak as he stuck with the same side that had beaten Redruth and Truro in the previous rounds.

St Just headed up the A30 with a full-strength side, but lost Ellis May early on, bowled for nought by a superb delivery from Pakistani pro Mehran Sanwal in the first over.

Rhys Brownfield got the innings moving with a couple of big hits down the ground before Neil Curnow chipped the off-spin of Giles Lawrence to mid-wicket to go for five.

However, Brownfield and Sri Lankan pro Chamikara Edirisinghe then rebuilt as they ended the six-over powerplay on 37-2.

Tom Dinnis castled Brownfield (21 off 20), but the 10th over bowled by left-arm spinner Charlie Hearn saw 13 came off it as St Just reached halfway at 63-3.

A further 27 came off the next two as Edirisinghe and Philip Nicholas accelerated the rate, before the partnership was broken when Edirisinghe (20) edged Sanwal (2-18) behind.

The momentum was continued by Logan Curnow as he struck a quickfire 20, while Nicholas continued on his merry way in reaching 53 off 37 balls, which included seven fours and a six. He was eventually caught at long-on in the 17th over.

Phil Nicholas
Phil Nicholas (right) was named man-of-the-match for his 53 runs, 3-14 with the ball and a brilliant diving catch at long-off. (Picture: Michael Weeks). (Michael Weeks.)

The highest successful chase in the competition’s history was 143 made by Falmouth against Paul in 2013, and in a bid to re-write the record books, Wadlan opened himself with key man Christian Purchase.

That decision paid off initially as he scored 25 off the first two overs. At 36-0 after 3.3, St Just were in trouble, but the Cape Road’s youngsters showed their potential.

Purchase (7) got a leading edge off Ellis May to Jamie Semmens at third man, before Matt Stevens was superbly caught on the boundary by May, who took five catches, off Logan Curnow.

May (2-16) continued on his merry way with the key moment as he caught and bowled Wadlan for 37.

Gareth May.
St Just skipper Gareth May receives the Vinter Cup from Bradleys Estate Agents representative Nick Jewell. (Picture: Michael Weeks. (Michael Weeks.)

From there on, St Just’s attack gave little away as after May and Curnow finished their spells, Edirisinghe returned to have Charlie Sharland brilliantly caught at long-off by Nicholas as Penzance slipped to 74-5 at the halfway stage.

Needing eight an over, Nicholas (3-14) and Lewis Stephens (2-11) continued to turn the screw as just 21 came off the next five with three wickets falling including Grant Stone for 18.

The end came in the 18th over when Tom Dinnis was caught by Neil Curnow off Joe Clifton-Griffith.

St Just now take on Hawkey Cup winners Wadebridge in the WT Edwards Cup final at St Austell next Wednesday for the right to represent Cornwall at the South West Area T20 Finals Day at Bridgwater on August 3.