ECB NATIONAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FOURTH-ROUND (SUNDAY)

Penzance v Bath

PENZANCE’S hopes of reaching the last eight of the National Club Championship are over after Bath left St Clare with a 14-run victory.

The Somerset-based club, top of the table in Premier One of the West of England Premier League, won the toss and chose to bat but lost opener Jack Scrivens with just 19 on the board when he picked out Grant Stone off Tom Dinnis (2-57 off 8) for a run-a-ball 12.

Opener Aidan Cahill, who has a state contract with South Australia, attacked from the outset and reached 36 from just 27 deliveries before he was caught by skipper Ben Seabrook off Giles Lawrence (2-33 off 8), and it wasn’t long before the off-spinner struck again as Benjamin Church was held by Dan Lello for just five.

Charlie Brain was run out by Stone for 25, and at 97-4, the home side were on top.

But Bath’s side is packed full of quality and Sam Young and skipper Harry Ellison produced a match-winning partnership as Penzance missed injured left-armer Josh Croom.

They put on 70 with Young, who made 51 from 58 balls with two fours and three sixes, the first to go when he was caught and bowled by German international Dylan Blignaut (2-45 off 6).

Louis Brown snicked off to Jack Paull for a second ball duck off Tom Dinnis, but Ellison continued on his merry way as he finished 79 not out from 68 balls.

Spencer Gammon made a useful 15 as they closed their 40 overs on 237-7.

Penzance openers Christian Purchase and Jack Paull started comfortably, reaching 25-0 after five overs before Purchase struck 24 from the sixth bowled by Joe Heywood.

But having advanced to 33 from just 18 deliveries and with Penzance 76-0 after 9.4 overs, Purchase was taken by Harry Ellison off the bowling of Matthew Cadywould.

Penzance were firm favourites at this stage, and Paull and skipper Ben Seabrook continued the momentum before Paull, who struck 72 from 71 balls with 11 fours, went in the 21st over.

Knowing they needed further wickets, Cahill was brought back on, and with superb effect as he had dismissed Dylan Blignaut for eight before snaring Grant Stone for a golden duck in the 25th over.

The innings was rebuilt by Seabrook and Dan Lello before the captain was caught by Josh Sutton off Spencer Gammon for 56 (71 balls, six fours).

That meant with six overs to go, the home side needed 41, but they got nowhere near as Bath turned the screw.

The next over went for just three before Cadywould’s next yielded just five.

Jonny Ludlam was out off Cahill’s penultimate over, before Lello smashed a six to keep their hopes alive.

Twenty-six were needed off the final three overs, and seven came off the 38th bowled by Joe Heywood.

But Sutton (2-33 off 8) provided the decisive blow as he had the hard-hitting Giles Lawrence stumped before bowling Tom Dinnis third ball for a single.

Sixteen was the requirement off the final over bowled by Cahill (3-30 off 8), and the Aussie conceded just a single as his pace proved too much for Lello (38no) and Andrew Libby.

Penzance, who also lost at St Austell 24 hours earlier having won the Vinter Cup at Camborne earlier in the week, now must turn their attention to Thursday’s WT Edwards Cup final with Callington at Truro (6pm).

And although they still have a 16-point lead at the top of the Premier Division table at the halfway stage, they know that they must regroup before Saturday’s visit from Truro (1pm).