Cornwall Cricket League County Division One round-up – Saturday, August 10

BEACON are now within 14 points of leaders Grampound Road after an ultimately comfortable 31-run success at the table-toppers on Saturday.

That said, Beacon were flying along at 74-0 after 16.2 overs before a three-hour rain delay meant a 20-over match.

They reached 105-4 despite 4-20 from Sri Lankan pro Ravi Karunarathna, but having lost just four wickets, Grampound’s target once the DLS adjustments had been made was 166.

Karunarathna briefly threatened with 35 from just 21 deliveries, but when he departed at 48-2, the hosts never got going.

Opener Alex Lean made 28 and Chris Roberts 32 from 28, but they finished on 134-8.

Beacon’s runs came from Ben James and Sam James with 53 and 38 respectively while their six-man attack all took a wicket, the best figures being Jordan Thomas’ 1-10 from his four.

That was the only one of six matches to find a winner.

The fixtures between Roche and Mullion and Paul and St Erme were both cancelled without a ball being bowled, while there was not much play at Penzance or Newquay.

Penzance Seconds reached 43-1 against their Wadebridge counterparts in a huge game for the visitors who are fighting superbly to stay up, while just 15 overs were possible at the Sports Centre as Newquay reached 47-2 against Camborne Seconds.

Joe Crane was 20 not out for the home side while Piran Moyle had the miserly figures of 1-8 from his seven overs.

Despite lots of rain near them and just up the A30, a full match was played at Hayle where they secured a tie against mid-table Falmouth.

Hayle were sent in and lost Max Jenkin for a second ball duck, but reached 56-2 before Tom Sharp (28) was bowled by Duncan Ayres in the 14th over.

Kiwi Benjamin Homan and Matt Lello then put on a further 42 before Ayres nipped one through Homan’s gate to send him back for 30 (98-3).

That sparked an incredible collapse as Ayres, with support from Callum Stephens continued to take wickets at will, including Lello for 35 as they slipped to 129-8.

But Paul Lello (21no) found useful support from Matt Jacka (5) and Joshua Curnow (5) to eek out a further 33 before the end came at 162.

Ayres took 5-32 from his ten overs, while Isaac Hurtel-Hymans (2-39) chipped in with a brace.

Needing just over three an over, Falmouth took their time and steadily made their way to 66-0 in the 25th over before Adrian Noott (20) picked out mid-on off Tom Sharp.

Homan dismissed South African Will Hocquard for 10 and when the set Harry Roberts was bowled by Matt Jacka for 48 it was 89-3 after 34 overs.

James Tomlinson (13) and skipper Aidan Carter soon departed to make Hayle favourites at 107-5, before Falmouth fought back. John Richardson and Haydn Ayres added 19 before the former slapped a full toss from Max Jenkin straight back to the bowler, but Ayres was joined by dad Duncan to add a crucial 24.

Thirteen were needed off 14 balls with four wickets in hand when Haydn was lbw to Jacka on the sweep.

Twelve were required off the final two overs before half of that was taken off the penultimate bowled by Sharp.

Jacka (3-36) was entrusted with the 50th and just two came off the first three to Ayres, before further singles meant two were needed off the last.

Ayres (20) hit the ball out to the mid-wicket boundary, but Max Jenkin’s throw beat him coming back for the second as both teams settled for a tie.