ECB CORNWALL PREMIER LEAGUE (SATURDAY)

Callington v Helston

BEN Ellis took 4-30 as Cally reduced the gap to leaders Penzance to 14 points with three games to play.

While Penzance somehow threw away a promising position to tie at Camborne, Cally had a wobble of their own in pursuit of 115.

Helston chose to bat at Moores Park but soon fell to 28-4 with Ellis taking two in two balls to dismiss Billy Taylor and Steve Jenkin.

The Blues, who are now just ten points above Camborne, saw five batsmen reaching double figures, nobody making more than South African Lance Alberts’ 19.

A ninth wicket stand of 26 between Ryan Tonkin and Charlie Hearn saw the hundred up before they were all out for 114.

Ellis received fine support from Mohammed Danyaal (2-34) and skipper Graham Wagg (2-21), while Liam Lindsay and Harry Sawyers also chipped in.

Cally lost the hard-hitting Aidan Libby to the first ball of the chase, before Lindsay and Max Waller took the score to 32 before Waller departed for 13.

In a fine spell, promising youngster Sunny Osmont (3-22) accounted for Wagg, Ollie Allsop and Luke Brenton, and when Matt Shepherd was lbw for nought to Charlie Hearn, it was game on at 68-6.

Lindsay remained defiant and was joined by Danyaal in a partnership of 21 before Danyaal (13) was caught by Karl Leathley off Tonkin.

Lindsay had made his way to 45, but when he was bowled by Brad Bury with 11 still needed, the pressure was really on.

But Joe White (4no) and Ben Ellis (7no) dug in to get Cally over the line.

Werrington v Wadebridge

KELVIN Snell’s unbeaten 50 consigned Werrington to a second straight home defeat as champions Wadebridge chased down 190 with four wickets to spare.

His fifth wicket partnership of 54 with skipper James Turpin set the visitors on their way after they slipped to 84-4.

But although Turpin was caught behind by skipper Nick Lawson off Adam Hodgson for 32, and Ben Smeeth bowled Fred Wilkinson for nine, Snell was joined by Tom Wood (7no) to get them over the line. Wadebridge’s chase got off to a poor start as Charlie McLachlan edged behind to Lawson off Dan Barnard for a golden duck.

Tom McLachlan and Matt Rowe added 36 before McLachlan was run out for 18 by a brilliant bit of fielding from Sri Lankan pro Thulina Dilshan. After making a diving stop at cover, he threw the ball in before McLachlan could get back after being sent back.

Former Ladycross favourite Matt Robins was superbly caught at mid-wicket by a diving Dilshan off Ben Smeeth (2-18), and although Rowe had eased his way to 41, he was smartly stumped by Lawson after his foot dragged slightly out when playing forward to Leo McDonnell, the veteran making his first Premier League appearance of the season.

Earlier in the day, Werrington won the toss and chose to bat, but soon lost Sam Hockin lbw on the sweep to Matt Rowe’s off-spin for two.

Veterans Ben Smeeth (44) and Adam Hodgson slowly rebuilt the innings before Smeeth departed in the 29th over when he was bowled by Elliot Dunnett.

Wickets then tumbled as Dilshan top edged a sweep off Robins (3-38) before the in-form Mark Gribble was brilliantly run out by Tom McLachlan from mid-wicket.

Tom Lyle (2) and Hodgson (44) were both caught at mid-off off Tom Clarke (2-28) to make it 120-6 after 40 overs before Ben Jenkin (28 off 33) and Nick Lawson (33no off 27) accelerated in the dying stages, the latter hitting two big sixes to give them a chance at 189-8.