by david sillifant

ROSEVEAR CUP FINALS DAY at

Lanhydrock Cricket Club

CALLINGTON thirds captain Ross Braund won the Rosevear Cup for a fifth time as captain on Sunday at Lanhydrock following a 34-run victory over St Neot in the final.

Played in sweltering conditions, the finals day saw the runaway Division Three East leaders hammer their Grampound Road counterparts in the second semi-final after St Neot edged out St Blazey seconds in the morning last four tie.

St Blazey are a mid-table Division Four side and, unsurprisingly, chose to field first so they knew exactly what they required.

The decision paid off in the first over as the dangerous Liam Jones was bowled by Joe Bailey for just four.

Jones’ fellow opener David Eldridge was bowled by Daley McErlain for a single, and at 6-2 St Neot were struggling.

Jack Kent decided to attack from the get go as he smashed four fours and a six in his 34 off 24 balls before he was caught by Steve Gilks off Ian Marshall, a delivery after hitting Marshall for six.

At 50-3 in the seventh over, St Neot had an excellent platform, but from there on they never quite accelerated.

Masters made 38 off 39 balls from number three, but the middle order failed to score freely.

It was left to wicket-keeper Martin Davies – batting at eight – to keep the innings together by making an unbeaten 25.

Needing 120 to win, St Blazey would have fancied themselves, but St Neot kept a brake on proceedings from the outset.

Only opener Simon Danby with a measured 35 got going as St Neot’s five bowlers – Masters (2-14), Tim Dean (1-19), David Brice (2-23), David Eldridge (1-12) and Jacob Eldridge (1-20) – all did a fine job, bowling Blazey out for 93 with eight balls unused.

The second semi-final was as one-sided as it could get as Callington demolished Grampound.

David Bolland got the key wicket of opener Chris Davey for just eight, and although usual first teamer Tom Orpe, who was making his way back from injury, made a classy 57 before being out at 85-4, Grampound could only muster 112-7.

Bolland, Leion Cole and Jonny Trembath all bowled four-over spells at less than four an over, while Braund had 3-36 from his four.

The Callington reply was dominated by chairman Toby Beresford-Power, who struck 11 fours and a six in his 60 not out from 43 balls.

At the other end, Nick Carpenter (14 off 8) and Blaze Eigenmann (16no from 16) ensured the most routine of victories which came in just 12.2 overs.

The final was between two very good Division Three sides.

St Neot chose to field upon winning the toss and it worked well to start with as Jack Kent (2-29) dismissed Beresford-Power (8) and Carpenter (11).

When wicket-keeper Charlie Coates was bowled by David Eldridge for just four, St Neot were on top.

However, Eigenmann and James Moon kept their heads with Eigenmann, arguably the best player in the division, gradually upping the ante as they reached 62-3 after ten overs.

He made 32 before dancing down the wicket to Brice and was stumped by Martin Davies.

With Moon accumulating, Leion Cole (32) came out and looked to attack, hitting four boundaries and a maximum in a partnership of 46 which was ended at 116 in the 17th over by 13-year-old Jacob Eldridge who bowled Cole.

Eldridge was then on a hat-trick as he trapped Tom Neville lbw first ball.

Moon (32no) and Jonny Trembath (11) kept the scoreboard ticking, and with Bolland adding five not out at the end, Callington closed their 20 overs on 144-7.

Eldridge ended with the impressive figures of 3-8 from his two overs, while Masters went for just 11 off his four.

St Neot knew they needed a rollocking start to get close, but found the pace of Eigenmann tough to handle.

David Eldridge made 15 before being well held on the boundary by Neville off Eigenmann, before Jack Kent (20), who had just started to get going with some nice boundaries, was on the wrong end of a wonder catch by Bolland off Ross Braund.

Standing at long-on, Bolland took a one-handed catch over his head inches from the boundary, drawing applause and gasps from those inside the Lanhydrock Cricket Ground.

Liam Jones went first ball, caught on the long-off boundary by Carpenter off Cole, and when Masters (14) was run-out by wicket-keeper Coates, the writing was on the wall.

St Neot’s middle order failed to score freely as, although Chris Arthur (18), Sam Pluckrose (12) and David Brice (13) reached double figures, Callington’s bowlers were too disciplined, as the village side ended on 110-7, 34 runs short.

Eigenmann was named man-of-the-match for his 32 and 1-13 off four overs, before Braund was handed the trophy by league representative Stephen Rowe.

Callington chairman Toby Beresford-Power said it was a sign of how far the club continues to progress.

He said: “It was a really good day out, and played in excellent spirits throughout.

“It was a great way for us as a club to celebrate the success of the merger between Callington and Saltash and to see the experience and youth of the team come together. Also it gives us some nice momentum going into the final eight games of the season as we look for the league and cup double. I’m really proud of how we’re progressing as a club.

“It’s a nice place to be these days, a much more pleasant environment than it was. I’d like to thank all of the hard work of the volunteers behind the scenes which enables us to start becoming successful on the field.”