Penzance 162 (47.5) beat St Austell 124 (44) by 38 runs
Penzance came out on top in their top-of-the-table clash against St Austell, with the league leaders running out winners by 38 runs at Wheal Eliza, writes Matt Friday.
Antony Angove top-scored with 41 as Penzance were bowled out for 162 in the first innings, with Jonty Leadbeater taking 3-6 and Matt Lloyd taking 3-31 for the home side.
Alex Bone was the leading scorer in St Austell’s reply, with the wicketkeeper hitting 46 as the hosts were dismissed for 124, thanks in part to Ali Usman, who took 4-20 for the visitors.
The win gives Penzance a handsome 29-point advantage over Hayle and Wadebridge in joint-second, with St Austell slipping below the pair into fourth.
St Austell won the toss and put Penzance in to bat, with opening batsman Christian Purchase falling for 12 off Adam Snowdon’s delivery.
Greg Smith (15) and Jonathan Ludlam (30) took the league leaders past 50 before the pair became Matt Lloyd’s (3-31) first and second victims of the afternoon.
Tom Wells (7) and Ali Usman (3) fell cheaply as the visitors nudged themselves to a modest 88-5, but the incoming Jack Paull (23) and Angove (41) put on 52 to steady the ship until the former was run out by Leadbeater off Alex Bone’s ball.
That wicket proved to be the beginning of the end for Penzance as Angove’s time was up soon after with Glyn Furnival (4) and Charlie Goldsworthy (0) being quickly removed within two balls of each other by Leadbeater, who capped off his fine individual display with the final wicket of Giles Lawrence (10).
Facing a testing but achievable target of 163, St Austell suffered an early blow in their efforts with the loss of Hugh Parkinson for just one run, with third batsman Michael Harding managing eight before he was dismissed for lbw.
Alex Bone (46) came in and soon saw opener David Munn (18) and fourth batsman Jonty Leadbeater (2) depart, but the arrival of Gary Bone (23) gave the hosts some renewed impetus, with the duo putting on 66 to take their side into triple figures before Gary was removed by Matthew Lawrence.
With the score at 101-5 and with 15.2 overs remaining, the home side were still in with a shout of pulling off a result. But just as they got their hopes up, Penzance bowlers Usman and Greg Smith came along to dash them once more as they reduced the hosts’ lower order to rubble, with the final five wickets coming in the last 14 balls of the match.
James Carter made six before he was caught and bowled by Smith in the third ball of the 42nd over, with Usman removing Scott Barrott (1) and Adam Snowdon (0) in consecutive balls in the next. Alex Bone’s innings finally came to an end at the start of the 44th over, which was rounded off with the dismissal of Matt Lloyd for one as the visitors earned their fifth win from five this season in style.
Fall of wickets
Penzance: 1-20 (Christian Purchase, 7.5 ov), 2-54 (G M Smith, 16.6 ov), 3-72 (Jonathan Ludlam, 22.1 ov), 4-85 (Tom Wells, 25.1 ov), 5-88 (Ali Usman, 26.1 ov), 6-140 (Jack Paull, 42.2 ov), 7-151 (Antony Angove, 44.2 ov), 8-155 (Glyn Furnival, 45.3 ov), 9-155 (Charlie Goldsworthy , 45.5 ov), 10-162 (Giles Lawrence, 47.5 ov)
St Austell: 1-4 (Hugh Parkinson, 4.4 ov), 2-26 (Michael Harding, 12.2 ov), 3-32 (David Munn, 17.4 ov), 4-35 (Jonty Leadbeater, 18.2 ov), 5-101 (Gary Bone, 34.6 ov), 6-119 (James Carter, 41.3 ov), 7-120 (Scott Barrott, 42.2 ov), 8-120 (Adam Snowdon, 42.3 ov), 9-122 (Alex Bone, 43.2 ov), 10-124 (Matthew Lloyd, 43.6 ov)
[Featured image: Colin Bradbury / Cornwall Sports Media]