PENZANCE player-coach Brad Wadlan hailed a ‘really important performance’ after they secured their first league win of the season on Saturday by seeing off Grampound Road by seven wickets in the ECB Cornwall Premier League.

Former St Clare favourite Antony Angove, helped by a useful 16 from fellow opener Alex Lean, got the Road off to a flyer as he flayed the bowling to all parts.

He reached 50 from just 31 balls, but once Lean departed with the score at 69 off the first ball of the 11th over bowled by Wadlan, the Road collapsed to 76-4 against Wadlan’s (3-33) left-arm spin and the pace of Tommy Sturgess (3-30).

Angove went for a fine 71 to make it 114-6 and although Chris Willett (22no) and Nathan Keevil (19) made starts, they were well below par at 160 all-out. Josh Croom (3-40) took a hat-trick towards the end.

Bar a tight opening spell from spinner David Neville (0-17 off six), Penzance scored at will against the rest as the winning runs came in the 27th over.

Opener Jack Paull was 68 not out after an opening stand of 65 with Christian Purchase.

Reflecting on a much-needed 20 points having slipped up at St Austell in their opener, Wadlan said: “As expected we were put under pressure straight away. The first 10 overs they came out and played positive cricket and raced along in the powerplay.

“That said, I thought we bowled well in stages and found the edge of the bat on five or six occasions which went to the boundary quickly with our extra pace.

“But in the next 10 overs I thought we took complete control of the game and never looked back, and the bowlers, especially (Tommy) Sturgess, were outstanding.

“On a very good pitch and quick outfield 160 was never going to be enough and the way Purchase and Paull set the innings off was fantastic.

“(Christian) Purchase was unlucky to be caught down the leg-side on 41, but JP’s tempo throughout his innings was very good and showed his class by finishing not out and getting the job done.

“It was a really important performance after the disappointment of St Austell, and sets up for Helston away on Saturday.”

Wadlan knows it won’t be easy at Beacon Parc against a side who ran out comfortable seven-wicket winners at Wadebridge at the weekend.

He continued: “Helston will no doubt be a tough game. They put in a strong performance last week at Wadebridge and will be keen to continue that form at home against us.”

However, Wadlan could unleash Pakistani bowler Mehran Sanwal to add to an already lively pace attack that includes Tom Dinnis, Josh Croom and Tommy Sturgess.

He concluded: “Mehran arrives this week so we’ll assess him and see how he is after his long flight. If he can replicate his First Class form and numbers for us then he will be very exciting to watch.”