CORNWALL rounded off a highly-successful group stage in the NCCA T20 with two victories over Herefordshire at St Austell on Sunday.

The Duchy had won double-headers against Devon and Wiltshire before sharing the spoils with Dorset to secure qualification, and a delayed start meant the first game was delayed to 12.30pm and was 16 overs a side.

St Just’s 16-year-old all-rounder Logan Curnow, son of former Cornwall batsman Neil, was given a debut, while regular captain Paul Smith was unavailable.

Cornwall’s success in the competition has been built on the opening partnership of Alex Blake and Alex Bone and once again they got off to a flier, adding 32 in just 18 balls before Blake (15 off 10) was caught of Hasan Mahmood.

Xavie Clarke was stumped down the leg-side first ball, and although Bone struck 35 from just 21 deliveries, he was lbw to the left-arm spin of Cyrus Shafi at 60-3 after six overs.

Wickets then fell as Cornwall slipped to 96-7 in the 12th over although they did rally to reach 138-9 thanks to stand-in skipper Will MacVicar (38 off 27) and Jake Rowe (19no).

MacVicar (3-25) soon reduced Herefordshire to 11-2 in the third over, and although skipper Ollie Walker made 33, Cornwall’s bowlers kept things tight as the visitors ended on 123-7.

The second game was a higher-scoring affair with the hosts once again coming out on top.

Herefordshire’s total of 178-8 in 20 overs was based around Walker’s superb 77 which came off 46 balls, although they were kept in check by Curnow’s 4-29 from four overs.

Cornwall lost Blake first ball and fell to 33-3.

But the brilliant MacVicar, who made 81 not out from 49 balls (three fours, six sixes) shared stands of 77 with Max Tryfonos (30) and 46 with Dan Lello (18) to get them home by two wickets with three balls to spare.

Cornwall now have home advantage in the Super 12s at Wadebridge on Sunday, August 3 with the winners going through to the National Finals Day at Wormsley on August 24.