ECB Cornwall Premier League round-up – Saturday, May 24

GRAMPOUND Road are off the bottom of the table after thrashing St Just by 154 runs at Cape Road.

The Road lost the week before to Werrington having needed 28 from seven overs with five wickets in-hand, but responded in style.

After being sent in, the Road fell to 23-2 with Ben Stevens (3-39) taking out Jack Mingo and the dangerous Antony Angove (16).

But half centuries from Alex Lean (81) and skipper Tom Orpe (64) plus 37 from wicket-keeper Harry Gregory laid a perfect platform for Sri Lankan pro Ravi Karunarathna to hammer 60 from 38 balls as they made an imposing 290 all-out.

Overseas player Chamikara Edirisinghe took 5-60.

St Just scored 283 the week before in their 46-run success at St Austell but this time had no answer despite a fine 65 from number three Neil Curnow as the Road took wickets at regular intervals with paceman Nathan Keevil claiming 3-22 from his eight overs. Angove (3-30) and Karunarathna (2-8) shared five wickets.

Werrington now prop up the rest of the division after being on the end of a brutal assault from Helston’s debutant Aussie, Jayden Mitchell.

The Blues’ innings mirrored the challenging weather conditions as they soon slipped to 32-4 with Dan Barnard (3-46) and Sam Hockin (2-39) taking two apiece.

But Mitchell changed the momentum of the game with Sunny Osmont (38), Harry Saunders (26) and Ryan Tonkin (18no) providing fine support, and eventually departed for 95 from just 69 balls having struck six fours and nine maximums.

The Blues eventually reached 229 all-out as Adam Hodgson took 3-48, while Ben Smeeth (1-23 off 9) was miserly.

Werrington were seemingly cruising to victory at 103-1 with Sam Hockin (50) and Adam Hodgson (34) well set.

But when Hockin clipped Mitchell to mid-wicket, the home side collapsed.

Thulina Dilshan was caught and bowled by Somerset’s Lewis Goldsworthy for just three, and when Hodgson was caught behind off Saunders’ leg-spin, it was game on.

Tonkin (3-48) returned to work his way through the middle to lower order as Werrington were dismissed for 190 in the 40th over with Barnard 26 not out.

Redruth are the new leaders after winning a thriller at Truro by one wicket with two balls to spare.

The home side were dismissed for 168 all-out with nobody making more than opener Harry Phillips’ 32.

Redruth spinners Ellis Whiteford (2-28) and Craig Johnson (3-31) shared five wickets.

Redruth were going okay at 57-2 before finding themselves 89-6 and 124-8 with Akhilesh Sahani (2-40), Freddie Bose (4-43) and Luke Johnson (3-26) doing the damage.

But skipper Piran Kent (24) and Peter Howells (42 off 99) dug in superbly and although Howells departed with the scores level, Craig Johnson nudged a single to send them top of the league.

The Reds are level on points with Wadebridge and Callington after Wadebridge won by just one run on the DLS Method at champions Penzance.

The Swans were in a spot of bother at 129-4 before a brilliant match-winning stand of between Matt Rowe (85) and Callum Wilson.

While Rowe, who survived a confident caught behind shout without scoring provided the glue, Wilson smashed 70 from just 46 balls to accelerate the visitors to 242-9.

Seamers Tommy Sturgess (3-25) and Josh Croom (3-42) shared six wickets although Pakistani debutant Mehran Sanwal (0-46 off 6) struggled.

Penzance got off to another flying start through openers Christian Purchase (54 off 44) and Jack Paull (28), but once again the middle-order failed to fire thanks to a superb spell from Elliot Dunnett.

The left-armer took 4-49 as they slipped from 80-0 to 142-6, although he was helped by a superb spell from spinner Matt Lawrence (0-21 off 10).

Grant Stone (26no) rebuilt the innings but the umpires took them off at 176-6 after 36.2 overs, and never returned.