ECB Cornwall Premier League preview – Saturday, May 17

THE game of the day sees two of the three unbeaten sides – Redruth and Callington – meet at Trewirgie.

Both sides have enjoyed fine starts with the Reds defeating St Just and Werrington on the chase, while Callington’s last outing saw them grind out a nine-run success at St Just having made just 152 all-out.

Both teams have fine spin attacks although the Reds are missing skipper Piran Kent with batsman Jack Hale his replacement. Callington have plenty of options themselves.

Cally make just one change from the side that won at St Just as the hard-hitting Matt Shepherd returns in the middle-order in place of Jack Greening who drops down to the seconds.

REDRUTH: Toby Whiteford, Toby Stoddard, Elliott Stoddard, Dulash Udayanga, Peter Howells (wkt), Lloyd Brock, Jack Hale, Ellis Whiteford, Justin Beaton, Craig Johnson, Dylan Caddy.

CALLINGTON: Aidan Libby, Liam Lindsay, Max Tryfonos, Xavie Clarke, Graham Wagg (capt), Matt Shepherd, Rowen Taplin, Mohammed Danyaal, Ben Ellis, Joe White (capt), Harry Sawyers.

The third side with a 100% record are Truro who visit 2023 champions Wadebridge.

The city outfit have beaten Helston and St Austell having fielded first and will hope to do the same at Egloshayle Park.

Wadebridge racked up 263-7 in their opener at Grampound Road, but were dismissed for just 154 last weekend against visiting Helston, and need an improvement from the top-order.

However, Kelvin Snell’s side will be expected to finish in the top half and will fancy a big improvement.

Truro make one change to the 11 that beat St Austell by three wickets as Luke Johnson makes his league debut for the club having switched from Redruth with Jack Williams dropping out, while there is also one alteration to the Swans side as the hard-hitting Matt Butler comes in for Tom Wood.

WADEBRIDGE: Matt Robins, Lachlan Crump, Matt Rowe, Callum Wilson, James Turpin, Charlie McLachlan, Kelvin Snell (capt), Freddie Wilkinson (wkt), Matt Butler, Matt Lawrence, Elliott Dunnett.

TRURO: Harry Phillips, Wilf Bartlett (wkt), Charlie Kent (capt), Ted Phillips, Akhilesh Sahani, Adam Price, Scott Kellow, Luke Johnson, Rob Harrison, Freddie Bose. Aswin Philip Varghese.

CHAMPIONS Penzance are playing catch-up having lost their opener at St Austell and face a West Cornwall derby at Helston.

Both sides won by seven wickets last Saturday with Penzance chasing down 161 to beat Grampound Road.

As in every game in this division they will start as favourites, but Helston will go in confident having eased past Wadebridge last time out.

Penzance’s Pakistani fast bowler Mehran Sanwal has arrived in the country and is named in the 12-man squad, while Helston give a debut to 20-year-old South African batsman Jamie Northcott.

He is a UK passport holder and replaces Cornwall batsman Karl Leathley who is back at university.

There are two other changes as wicket-keeper Matt Jilbert is recalled, and there is a Premier League debut for seamer Liam Frew who has been impressing in the seconds.

Chairman Brad Bury is out injured as Will Jenkin drops down to captain the twos.

HELSTON: Dan Jenkin (capt), Billy Taylor, Lewis Goldsworthy, Jamie Northcott, Steve Jenkin, Mark Jenkin, Sunny Osmont, Harry Saunders, Ryan Tonkin, Matt Jilbert (wkt), Liam Frew.

PENZANCE (FROM): Christian Purchase, Jack Paull, Nic Halstead-Cleak (wkt), Brad Wadlan (capt), Charlie Sharland, Grant Stone, Tommy Sturgess, Josh Croom, Tom Dinnis, Jonny Ludlam, Charlie Hearn, Mehran Sanwal.

A BIG game awaits Grampound Road and Werrington with neither side yet to taste victory.

Grampound know that victories on home soil are paramount in their survival bid, while Werrington will expect to see off their promoted hosts.

Grampound are boosted by the inclusion of hard-hitting opener Dave Hoskings who will look for a repeat of his 24-ball 54 against Wadebridge.

He is the only change to the side beaten at Penzance as he replaces chairman Lewis Sanders who drops down to bolster the seconds.

Werrington also make one alteration as they look for a complete performance.

A fine bowling effort against Callington was followed by a score of 264-7 against Redruth, but they lost both meaning they sit bottom of the table.

George Rickard has a school match with left-armer Jordan Duke giving skipper Nick Lawson a much-needed third seamer.

GRAMPOUND ROAD: Dave Hoskings, Antony Angove, Alex Lean, Chris Roberts, Ravi Karunarathna, Tom Orpe (capt), Harry Gregory (wkt), Chris Willett, Nathan Keevil, Tom Fox-Dean, David Neville.

WERRINGTON: John Moon, Ben Smeeth, Adam Hodgson, Thulina Dilshan, Mark Gribble, Nick Lawson (capt, wkt), Ben Jenkin, Dan Barnard, Sam Hockin, Mark Taskis, Jordan Duke.

ST AUSTELL have stated their ambition to go for the title and they will be delighted to be back on home soil when they take on St Just at the earlier start time of midday.

The Saints’ top-order batting has let them down in both matches so far, and skipper Alex Bone has pushed Sri Lankan overseas Thevindu Dickwella up to the top of the order where he’ll partner the returning Connor Cooke.

Mike Bone is set to move up from six to four as Bone aims for a far better platform.

Seamer Liam Watson is unavailable with Cooke taking his place, with Andrew Libby set to drop down the order.

St Just make three changes from their narrow defeat to Callington.

Justin Stephens and son Lewis are missing, while Mark Waters is back in the seconds with son Hayden.

Wicket-keeper Rhys Brownfield’s rugby commitments are over meaning he returns behind the stumps, while young all-rounder Logan Curnow and seamer Tommy Blake are also given a chance.

ST AUSTELL: Connor Cooke, Thevindu Dickwella, Dan Jarman, Mike Bone, Alex Bone (capt, wkt), Gary Bone, Steve Raven, Adam Snowdon, Ben Sleeman, Andrew Libby, Matt Lloyd.

ST JUST: Gareth May (capt), Logan Curnow, Neil Curnow, Ellis May, Philip Nicholas, Chamikara Edirisinghe, Jamie Semmens, Rhys Brownfield (wkt), Ben Stevens, Tommy Blake, Joe Clifton-Griffith.