PENZANCE’S hopes of reaching back-to-back Lord’s finals are over following a four-wicket defeat to Bath in a thrilling contest at St Clare on Sunday.

Penzance were beaten by Lancashire side Ormskirk in September’s showpiece and had put together a squad with an eye on securing the biggest prize in club cricket in the UK.

However, Bath have plenty of talent in their own ranks and struck twice early on as Christian Purchase and Jack Paull went for 15 and 14 respectively to Spencer Gammon.

Charlie Sharland was next to go for eight at 65-3, but Penzance rallied to rack up a huge 302-7.

South African overseas Grant Thomson led the way with a brilliant unbeaten 110 off 73 balls with 10 fours and five sixes.

Basil Akram went for 57 at 128, but Sammy King’s 42 and chip-ins from Ollie Rayner (17) and Grant Stone (24) got them above 300.

Bath’s overseas player is Australian Harry Dixon who has played First Class cricket for Victoria, and he raced out of the blocks before being bowled for 21 by seamer Tom Dinnis.

Alex Haleem went at 32-2, but Bath were back in the contest with a 106-run stand between Jack Scrivens and Sam Young.

While Young went serenely about his business at one end, both skipper Harry Ellison (18 off 9) and Dollin Jansen (22 off 12) attacked.

Dinnis bowled Jansen with 192 on the board, but the match-defining partnership saw Young joined by Max O’Farrell whose 52 from just 39 balls only ended with four required.

Young, who ended 111 not out from 110 deliveries, got Dinnis to the boundary off the first ball of the last over to set up a home tie with Bristol in the next round.