Jolliffe's fine knock in vain as Tintagel run leaders close

TINTAGEL nearly produced one of their great recent victories before going down by 18 runs at a Wadebridge Seconds side who took a giant step towards the title following St Blazey’s defeat at Werrington Seconds.

The Knights travelled without key all-rounder Ryan Pooley due to a hand injury and got off to a dream start as Vedavyas Kankanala dismissed Sam Richards for a rare duck.

Ryan Pooley (22) fell to the excellent Jack Minehan (2-23 off 9), and although Tom McLachlan reached 38 before falling to Gyles Reynolds (1-23), Aussie Leo Agacy (3-46) took three quick wickets to reduced the Swans to 97-6.

However, Richard Atkinson (40) and Tom Wilson (20) started the fightback which allowed seamers Charlie Hawken (44no off 29) and Ollie Bate (32no off 24) to thrash the bowling to all parts as they reached 239-8.

Tintagel’s batting was at full-strength bar Pooley, and although Agacy soon went to the wily Alek Gill, the Knights regrouped through skipper Matt Jolliffe and Jordan Burnard before the latter edged Ross McLachlan’s leg-spin behind to Wilson for 26.

Minehan was promoted to four in Pooley’s absence and it worked a treat as he provided the perfect foil for Jolliffe who crashed 16 fours and two sixes.

But having faced 84 balls for his 94, he went with 169 on the board when he edged Gill (2-36) behind.

Sam Abbott made a quickfire 16 in a stand of 21 with Minehan (35), but from 190-3 they lost their last seven wickets for just 31 as all-rounder Jamie Beare – bowling as fifth change – took 5-24 from just 6.3 overs. Ross McLachlan (3-60) also chipped in late on.

Wadebridge, now 28 points clear at the top, host second bottom Bude this weekend as fifth-placed Tintagel host Callington Seconds (1pm).