HELSTON'S season ended on a good note with their Bond Timber Cornwall Premier League status remaining in place as they did more than enough on the final day.
A defeat with few bonus points coupled with a Hayle victory at home to St Austell could have signalled a return to County Division 1 at the first time of asking. However, a much-needed solid batting display took the pressure off by gaining the five maximum batting points.
Victory against St Just followed by 40 runs and with Hayle losing by 16 runs to St Austell the final margin was a somewhat flattering 27 points. All the top six Helston batters got runs to post 218-6 in a full fifty overs. Karl Leathley (23) and Billy Jenkin (31) put on 45 for the first wicket. Mark Jenkin made 24 and Dan Jenkin got 38. Ross Leathley (43) and Niran Wijewardene (44) kept the board ticking over as the visitors used eight bowlers.
It was Steve Jenkin that did the early damage to the St Just innings removing openers Neil Curnow and Max Waller after they put on 64. He also got rid of Ellis May and Sam Harvey to end with 4-24 from ten overs. Mark Jenkin wrapped up the innings at 178 in the 44th over by taking 4-25.
There was a thrilling end to the Premier title race as Wadebridge held their nerve to claim an 11-run home win over Callington and deny Penzance a fourth successive title. It came down to the wire however, with at one stage Callington, chasing a target of 247 required 24 off 21 balls with six wickets remaining. With 14 needed off the final over Liam Lindsay was caught on the long-on boundary for 79 and that was that.
Had it gone for six, leaving eight needed off four balls and four wickets left, the tension both on the ground and for those viewing the live stream in the Penzance clubhouse fifty miles away would have been somewhat unbearable.
Final Standings: Wadebridge 288 pts, Penzance 283, St Austell 224, Werrington 210, St Just 196, Camborne 193, Redruth 191, Helston 187, Callington 179, Hayle 160.
Mullion were witness to Truro’s celebrations at Boscawen Park as they wrapped up the County Division 1 title. They only needed a couple of points but made sure with something to spare by posting 297-6 with Charlie Kent getting a century. He was one of three late wickets for Mathew Davies who ended with 3-44.
Ryan Pascoe came in at 27-3 and made 57. The end came quickly though at 123 as the last six wickets fell for 23 runs. Mullion finished ninth with four losses in the last five games. Falmouth ended on a high hitting 345-7 at Penzance Seconds with James Tomlinson scoring a century.
Aidan Carter, in a return to the first team, hit 58 and Antony Angove made 83 off 64 balls on a return to his former club. Marco van Biljon then signed off on a great all-round season to take 6-28 from seven overs. Ben Meek picked up three wickets. Falmouth finished in third spot, a point behind Paul who beat doomed Lanhydrock..
Final Standings: Truro 339 pts, Paul 320, Falmouth 319, St Erme 274, Beacon 261, Newquay 251, Grampound Road 239, Penzance II 238, Mullion 235, Roche 200, Redruth II 169, Lanhydrock 121.
In division two Stithians also ended on a high with a 110-run win at St Ives. It was a fourth straight win to see an eighth-place finish and end 33 points away from the drop zone filled by Truro seconds and Mount Ambrose. Helston seconds lost at St Just to end in tenth with a 24-point cushion from danger.
Constantine wrapped up their division three campaign with just one defeat after making 288-7 at Mullion seconds. thus avenging the Andrew Cup semi-final defeat. Charlie Campbell made a century (115no) after Scott Kellow opened with 89 to see him past 1000 League runs in the season.
Perranarworthal are in line to be promoted as well following the eight-wicket home win over Wendron with Ben Toulson taking four wickets. St Gluvias had to settle for third after hitting 244 at Barripper and winning by 137 runs. Shubhranshu Bhandari batted through the innings to end on exactly 100 not out.
Overseas player Patrick O’Neil took three wickets to end the season with 47 League wickets. Falmouth seconds ended with a four-wicket home defeat to St Just but finished ahead of the Penwith club in fourth spot. Despite winning back-to-back games at the end of the season Praze propped up the table. In division five Mawnan finished with a seven-wicket home defeat against St Day to end in fifth.
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