ECB CORNWALL PREMIER LEAGUE (SATURDAY)
Callington v Redruth
CALLINGTON’S superb title bid fell on the penultimate weekend as Redruth earned an impressive five-wicket victory at Moores Park.
Cally went into the game 13 points adrift of leaders Penzance, but a poor batting display coupled with the West Cornwall club’s emphatic victory over St Austell ensured the title went to St Clare for the fourth title in five years following Wadebridge’s success last summer.
Callington were sent in by Reds skipper Piran Kent, and after Aidan Libby made a quick 13, he and opening partner – Aussie seamer Alex MacInnes – made important breakthroughs.
MacInnes took care of Libby before the division’s leading run scorer, South African Liam Lindsay, fell for a duck to Kent.
From there on, Redruth kept things tight and struck in the 11th over with Kent having Matt Shepherd caught by Toby Stoddard for 15.
Luke Brenton struck a six, but he and former Somerset man Max Waller (17) both fell with the score on 57, and Cally were in trouble.
Kian Burns was lbw to Ellis Whiteford for nine (69-6), but although slow, captain Graham Wagg and Cambridgeshire all-rounder Mohammed Danyaal appeared to rebuild the innings with a stand of 46 in 112 balls.
But just as Cally were hoping to launch a late assault to get them up towards and beyond 160, Danyaal (21) and Wagg (23) fell within six runs of each other.
Joe White made ten from 20 balls, but they were all out with eight balls remaining for 131.
Redruth openers Toby Whiteford and Peter Howells then attacked with 25 coming from the first 11 balls, but both departed to make it 27-2.
Cally took three further wickets as Ben Ellis (2-33) and Danyaal (2-47) took a brace each, but they couldn’t oust Sri Lankan pro Dulash Udayanga (57no) as the title went west.
Werrington v Camborne
MARK Gribble made a fine 80 but it was Sri Lankan pro Thulina Dilshan’s brilliant all-round performance that propelled Werrington to a 99-run victory over Camborne at Ladycross on Saturday.
The Roskear club arrived in North Cornwall needing to win to have any chance of survival, and started well as the hosts fell to 41-3.
John Moon chipped his first ball from Martin Jenkin to cover, while fellow opener Sam Hockin made eight before edging Kiwi Jordan Gatley behind to Liam Weeks.
Adam Hodgson was bowled by Dan Stephens for seven, but Gribble and Dilshan came together and turned the tide with a stand of 97.
Dilshan was the aggressor in the partnership, making 69 from just 87 balls before being caught by Gatley off the off-spin of Jamie Goldsworthy.
Ben Jenkin made ten before being run out, but with Gribble going up through the gears in his 104-ball knock which included 11 fours, he found support from Ben Smeeth (19 off 23) before departing at 221-7.
But Dan Barnard put the nail in the Camborne coffin by whacking five fours from just ten balls in his unbeaten 23 as Werrington reached 251-7.
Camborne openers Jake Symons (12) and Alfie MacDonald added 51, but when MacDonald fell to Ben Smeeth (2-31) for 38 to make it 84-3 not long after the same bowler took care of Aussie Josh Fontana, the wheels fell off.
Dilshan, enjoying another ten overs after rarely being used for much of the season, sent down his various types of leg-spinners to great effect as he took 5-35.
Youngster George Rickard claimed the final wicket off his third ball as Camborne were dismissed for 152.