Bond Timber Cornwall Cricket League Preview – Saturday, September 9

THE final day of the regular Cornwall Cricket League season swings into action tomorrow with plenty to play for across the divisions.

Callington head to title-chasing Wadebridge (12.30pm) needing four points to guarantee safety, while the hosts need to win to claim a first-ever Premier Division title.

Cally welcome back opener Aidan Libby and the fit again Ryan Brown in place of Shiraz Husain, who drops down to the seconds, and the unavailable Ollie Allsop.

Leg-spinner Harry Sawyers is missing for the second consecutive week having picked up 13 wickets in his previous three outings.

Wadebridge sit six points clear of champions Penzance meaning a win should do the business, but any mistake will likely mean a fourth straight title for Penzance as they visit Camborne.

Callington will need to have a disaster to go down, but with teams needing 100 just to get a batting point, they will be praying that they win the toss.

However their result will be academic unless Hayle and Helston both win.

Hayle, who have to win and hope Helston get less than six points, welcome a St Austell side hoping to overtake Werrington into third, while Helston welcome mid-table St Just.

Hayle have won their last two games and if they are to survive, will have pulled off one of the great Houdini acts in Cornish cricket.

There is no such pressure on Werrington when they welcome Redruth.

The Reds secured their safety by beating Helston last weekend, while Werrington’s victory over Wadebridge having only posted 183, goes to show the form Nick Lawson’s men are in.

Lawson misses the final game due to a wedding, with his place being taken by opener Sam Hockin, while the injured Ben Jenkin is replaced by promising all-rounder George Rickard.

CALLINGTON at Wadebridge: Aidan Libby, Luke Brenton, Liam Lindsay, Graham Wagg, Ryan Brown, James Brenton, Joe White, Ben Ellis, Fred Wilkinson (wkt), George Wilkinson, Ben Alford.

WERRINGTON v Redruth: John Moon, Sam Hockin, Adam Hodgson, Tom Lyle, Mark Gribble, Ben Smeeth, George Rickard, Sam Willis, Hugh Tomkinson (wkt), Dan Barnard, Mark Taskis.

COUNTY DIVISION ONE

LANHYDROCK’S seven-year stay in the second-tier is over, and they will hope to finish with a flourish when they visit second-placed Paul.

With leaders Truro needing just two points to secure an immediate return to the Premier Division, Paul know they are unlikely to go up, but will be determined to finish with a victory to secure the runners-up spot ahead of Falmouth.

Lanhydrock travel with a much stronger side than in recent weeks, but if they are to grab just a second victory of the season, they will need a serious upturn in fortune having been dismissed for just 49 by St Erme last Saturday having been set a mammoth 327 to win.

DIVISION TWO EAST

CALLINGTON Seconds and their Wadebridge counterparts are in a straight shoot-out for the title when they meet at Moores Park (1pm).

Both sides have been in tremendous form, but Wadebridge missed a glorious chance to close in on the title when they lost at Holsworthy on Sunday in their rearranged clash.

It means instead of needing a handful of bonus points, a loss will prove fatal.

Cally name a similar side to the one that has come into form at exactly the right time.

Skipper Toby May has led from the front in recent weeks with the bat, while their spin-heavy attack has served them well.

May welcomes back left-arm seamer Jim Shorten and gives a debut to Shiraz Husain who has either been in the thirds or firsts since joining the club back in July.

CALLINGTON SECONDS v Wadebridge Seconds: Toby May (capt), Shiraz Husain, Richard Brown, Peter Tancock, Tom Neville, Chris Simpson, Mohammad Durrani-Zubair (wkt), Jim Shorten, Rhys Hodge, Harvey Poad, Spencer Whatley.

HOLSWORTHY welcome South Petherwin to Stanhope Park in a huge game for the visitors.

While Holsworthy could still finish as runners-up, Petherwin must claw back their three-point deficit on second bottom Menheniot-Looe to survive.

Holsworthy name a first choice 11 as all-rounder Dan Smith comes back in, with the rest of the side is unchanged from Sunday’s superb 69-run victory over Wadebridge.

However their surprise defeat at Menheniot last Saturday put pay to any title hopes.

HOLSWORTHY v South Petherwin: Jack May, Chris Pomeroy (wkt), Herschelle Poggenpoel, Matt Shepherd, Ryan Walter (capt), Jack Greening, Aiden Gerry, Dan Smith, Brendan Harris, Rob Mitchell, Graham Wild.

THE rest of the teams in the division are playing for pride and table position.

Bude, who have won their last two games to quell any drop fears, host a St Minver side that could finish fifth if they win and Tintagel lose to Menheniot-Looe at Butts Field. 

Werrington Seconds have had a disappointing campaign which hasn’t been helped by six cancellations out of a possible 20, and they head down to St Blazey who were top of the tree for much of the season.

Luckett have finished with a couple of wins after taking until August to register a victory, and they head down to mid-table St Austell Seconds.

BUDE v St Minver: James Sharman, Wayne Adams, Tom Lush (wkt), Warren Rumble (capt), Matt Whitefield, Andrew De Rosa, Matt Williams, Matt Mansbridge, James Turner, Mark Whitefield, Brett Hunter.

ST MINVER at Bude: Ben Hawken (wkt), Antony Ash, Tom Durrant, Jonny Centini (capt), Alek Gill, Rob Hawken, Keron Persaud, Kieran Gill, Karl Daly, Dean Jeffery, Harry Jones.

TINTAGEL v Menheniot-Looe: Dan Jones, Matt Jolliffe (capt, wkt), Jordan Burnard, Ryan Pooley, Adrian Pooley, Gyles Reynolds, Dan Jn Baptiste, Matt Pethick, Callum Flew, Harry Daly, James Ellis.

WERRINGTON SECONDS at St Blazey: Rob May, Marley May, Toby Ward, James Adams, Dan Howgill, Mark Hodgson, Zander Zambuni, Keith Maynard, Jordan Duke, Jason Seldon, Rob Dymond (capt, wkt).

DIVISION THREE EAST

CALLINGTON Thirds could celebrate an immediate return to the third-tier depending on how results go further up the club.

For them to achieve promotion, the first team will need to get the four points they need to survive which in turn will enable the seconds to go back up if they beat Wadebridge.

However the likelihood of the title is slim as Ladock, although only two points ahead, head to relegated Pencarrow. But if Pencarrow can stop Ladock picking up valuable bonus points, Cally could sneak the title if they beat Tideford at Landulph, just six days after their first meeting of the season which was rearranged from back in April.

Launceston have had a stuttering campaign, but they will hope to finish on a high when they welcome fellow mid-table side Boconnoc to Lawhitton.

The town outfit have won seven and lost eight of their 21 games, the others being cancelled or abandoned, while Boconnoc arrive four points behind.

Other fixtures (1pm): Grampound Road 2 v Newquay 2, Pencarrow v Ladock, Saltash St Stephens v Roche 2, St Austell 3 v St Neot.

DIVISION FOUR EAST

A COUNTY final with Paul Seconds at St Minver next Saturday is the prize for Werrington Thirds provided they get the six points required for the title at Menheniot-Looe Seconds.

Werrington have lost just once since mid-May and have rarely been tested, but face a home side who need points of their own to ensure safety.

Although Wadebridge Thirds are long gone, Menheniot, St Minver Seconds, Grampound Road Thirds and Bugle are all in the mix to join them.

Grampound, although eight points behind Bugle, welcome Wadebridge in a game they should win, meaning Bugle probably need to beat promotion-chasing Liskeard.

If they do that, then Menheniot and St Minver could be in danger with just a point separating them.

St Minver, who name a full strength team, welcome a Launceston Seconds side still hoping to sneak fourth.

Lanhydrock Seconds need to beat St Stephen to deny Werrington the title, but of more importance is securing victory to take the runners-up spot ahead of Liskeard.

Other fixture (1pm): Buckland Monachorum v St Blazey 2.

DIVISION FIVE EAST

WITH Duloe and Newquay Thirds promoted and Tintagel Seconds relegated, the only remaining issue to resolve is who goes down.

St Neot Seconds and St Austell Fourths meet in a shoot-out at Wenmouth with only the winner surviving.

Bude Seconds were in promotion contention for much of the year before losing the all-important clash with Newquay last weekend, and will hope to finish on a high when they head to Gunnislake, who are in mid-table having come up.

South Petherwin Seconds have flattered to deceive having been relegated last term, and take on fellow mid-table side Holsworthy Seconds, while Werrington should finish with a victory when Tintagel visit.

Other fixtures (1pm): Foxhole v Newquay 3.

DIVISION SIX EAST

WITH Saltash St Stephens Seconds and their Boconnoc counterparts guaranteed the top two places, Boconnoc will hope to increase their points average when they take on bottom side Menheniot-Looe Thirds at Deer Park.

With their being three division sixes’, the best runner-up on points average usually joins the three league champions in going up, and Boconnoc will hope to do that on Saturday.

Luckett Seconds have struggled in recent weeks to get a side together having started the season promisingly, and they will hope to finish on a high when Saltash St Stephens visit, while the other clash is between Tideford Seconds and Lanhydrock Thirds at the Port Eliot Estate Ground.