Bond Timber Cornwall Cricket League preview – Saturday, July 24

CALLINGTON will hope to play for the first time in 21 days tomorrow when they welcome Grampound Road in the ECB Cornwall Premier League (1pm).

Cally have seen their last two fixtures called off due to COVID-19 issues – the first against Wadebridge due to problems in the Wadebridge camp – while last weekend Cally were unable to fulfil their fixture at runaway leaders Penzance due to the same reasons.

Joe White gives a Premier League debut to Ben Alford as Matt Petherbridge is away, while Ryan Brown also makes a rare appearance having been scoring plenty of runs in the second team.

Grampound, who Callington bowled out for 50 on matchday two of the Premier League, are cut adrift at the bottom, and barring a miracle will start preparing for a first stint in County Division One since 2009.

Callington v Grampound Road –

Aidan Libby, Luke Brenton, Kian Burns, Dan Davis, Ryan Brown, Ollie Allsop, Joe White (capt, wkt), Sam Pengelly, Rob Mutch, Ben Alford, Harry Sawyers.

Werrington were winless after six games, but since then have won three of their last four to start heading towards mid-table. They visit a Redruth side who ran out narrow nine-run winners at Ladycross back in May, and are much stronger since the return of players from university.

The North Cornwall side travel without the Hodgson brothers – Adam and Mark. Adam is away while Mark goes back into the second team.

In come batsman Ben Jenkin and off-spinner Mark Taskis who were both unavailable for last weekend’s 41-run win over St Just, due to work.

Skipper Nick Lawson will have to decide how to balance his side as Adam opens the batting and often bowls his ten overs.

John Moon is likely to shift up to open from number three with Jenkin taking his spot at first drop.

Werrington at Redruth –

Taylor Gerry, John Moon, Ben Jenkin, Mark Gribble, Ben Smeeth, Tom Lyle, Nick Lawson (capt, wkt), Dan Barnard, Mark Taskis, Jason Seldon, Ian Worsnip.

In County One, Werrington seconds welcome promotion-chasing Helston to Ladycross.

Werrington were inactive last week due to COVID-19 issues meaning they couldn’t go to Hayle, while Helston thrashed Redruth seconds before facing Penzance in the Vinter Cup final at Camborne on Wednesday night.

Although Helston were well beaten, the Blues have hopes of a return to the top-flight and sit four points behind Hayle who will have average points added on due to last weekend.

Werrington sit comfortably in mid-table in seventh, and following this will have already faced three of the top four in the return fixtures.

Skipper Rob Dymond names a strong side with Mark Hodgson back in, while teenagers Toby Ward and Freddie Stevenson play.

Werrington 2 v Helston –

Dan Howgill, Hugh Tomkinson, Ian Searle, Adam Jenkin, Mark Hodgson, Toby Ward, Nick Ward, Rob Dymond (capt, wkt), Jordan Duke, Freddie Stevenson, Nick Oldaker.

Leaders Hayle travel up the A30 to Lanhydrock looking to cement their lead.

Lanhydrock on the other hand have started to hit some form including consecutive wins over St Erme and winless St Austell seconds.

Home skipper Ben Attfield brings in batsman Kris Jones and left-arm spinner Fergus Baker as Lanhydrock pick three frontline spinners in Baker, Ruben Turner and Brian Barnicoat, who took 5-24 last time out.

Tom Trethewey is unavailable while Ross Keast is given an outing in the seconds.

Lanhydrock v Hayle -

Jake Carter, James Starkie-Old, Kris Jones, James Maycock, Ben Attfield, Ryan Butler, Jamie Eldridge, Simon Benney (wkt), Fergus Baker, Ruben Turner, Brian Barnicoat.

Elsewhere in the division, one side will fall further behind in the title race as third-placed Falmouth welcome Beacon in fourth to the Hine Downing Oval, Paul who are comfortably fifth, entertain St Austell seconds. Gorran – well adrift at the bottom – entertain St Erme and Newquay host Redruth twos.

In Division Two East, Callington seconds will look to extend their lead at the top when they travel down to mid-table St Blazey.

Blazey’s recent home form has been good in beating Launceston, Tideford and Holsworthy, but will need to lift it further to compete with Callington.

Bowler Martin Hunn is out of isolation with all-rounder Chris Simpson dropping to the thirds, while opening batsman Ryan Brown is in the ones and replaced by Leion Cole who will slot into the middle order.

Callington 2 at St Blazey –

Alex Robinson (wkt), Toby May (capt), Nick Parker, Peter Tancock, Liam Hunn, Leion Cole, Richard Brown, Alex Mortimore, Jim Shorten, Martin Hunn, Toby Morgan.

Tintagel face a tough ask at high-flying Wadebridge seconds who continue to impress. Tintagel on the other hand are in a survival battle but do have a 19-point cushion on third bottom Tideford.

Tintagel skipper Ryan Pooley is able to bring in Leo McDonnell who has been out injured, while Andy Boxall is back and will take the gloves, allowing Pooley to bowl.

Tintagel at Wadebridge 2 –

Ben Jarram, Adrian Pooley, Leo McDonnell, Ryan Pooley (capt), Jonathan Labuschagne, Gyles Reynolds, Aaron Washer, Andy Boxall (wkt), Jordan Blanchard, Matt Pethick, Simon Fry.

At the other end, St Minver are 23 points behind Tintagel, but it won’t be easy to start turning the tide when they head to Grampound Road seconds.

Minver name one of their strongest sides this season with Mark Turner coming in, while youngster Ben Stokes, who was at Wadebridge, also plays.

St Minver at Grampound Road 2 –

Ben Hawken (capt, wkt), Antony Ash, Will Durrant, Steve Hawke, Jonny Centini, Rob Hawken, Ben Stokes, Andrew Barrett, Neil Meneer, Mark Turner, Ben Lamb.

Launceston are also 23 points behind Tintagel but do have average points to be put on at the end of the season following their COVID-19 cancellation at Roche last Saturday. They head to out of form Holsworthy who could do with a win to allay any fears of being dragged into a scrap at the bottom.

Launceston are missing batsmen Kevin Worth and James Setterington plus left-arm spinner Ethan Green, but do recall wicket-keeper Dan Tilley, batsman Glenn Coles and seamer Ryan Christophers.

Holsworthy are at full strength minus wicket-keeper Fraser Priest. Ryan Bridgeman is the only alteration from last Saturday.

Holsworthy v Launceston –

Jack May, Aiden Gerry, Sam Stacey, Jack Greening, Matt Shepherd, Ryan Walter (capt, wkt), Brendon Harris, Dan Smith, Rob Mitchell, Ryan Bridgeman, Graham Wild.

Launceston at Holsworthy –

Dan Tilley (wkt), Tommy Davey, Mark Thomas, Isaac Staig, Glenn Coles, James Dawe, Jacob Staig, Matt Bloomfield, David Cox, Ryan Christophers, Shane Davey.

Tideford are 19 points adrift following last weekend’s agonising defeat at Menheniot-Looe, and welcome fifth-placed Roche to the Port Eliot Estate Ground.

Home skipper David Lockett is missing batsman Joe Milligan and all-rounder Mike Burnett but all-rounder Nick Pooley and teenager Gregor Norster are both available.

Tideford v Roche –

Dan Robotham, Jamie King, Anton Luiten, Russ Cole, Nick Pooley, Paddy Harper (wkt), Gregor Norster, David Lockett, Darren Shaw, Chris Anderson, AN Other.

Menheniot-Looe have improved in recent weeks and have a 31-point cushion from the bottom three ahead of their trip to Bude.

They beat Tideford by one-wicket last weekend, while the Seasiders won a high-scoring classic at Tintagel by three wickets.

Home captain Warren Rumble has key man Sam Hockin available again after injury, while opening batsman Matt Hookway also comes in.

Bowler Jack Horwell is at a wedding, while Chris Parkes is not around.

Menheniot counterpart Marc Wright has to do without batsmen Mohamed Durrani-Zubair and Matt Perrett who can both only play at home, while youngster Dylan Rundle is also out. In come bowlers Giles Francis and Stuart Nye and veteran batsman Bob Fleming.

Bude v Menheniot-Looe –

Warren Rumble (capt), Matt Hookway, Tom Hall, Charlie Gliddon, Matt Williams, Matt Mansbridge (wkt), Sam Hockin, Wayne Adams, Andrew De Rosa, Shaun Whitefield, James Findlay.

Menheniot-Looe at Bude –

Luke Ripley, Hugh Rogers, Matt James, Steve Kidd, Ben Allsop, Marc Wright, Bob Fleming, Ross Ripley, Justin Kidd (wkt), Giles Francis, Stuart Nye.

In Division Three East, it’s top versus bottom clash as Callington thirds go to their St Austell counterparts.

Callington have lost just once, with St Austell only emerging victorious on a solitary occasion.

Elsewhere, it’s derby day at Werrington as Werrington thirds entertain promotion-chasing South Petherwin. The clash at Launceston between strugglers Launceston seconds and fourth-placed Bugle is off due to COVID-19 issues.

Out of form Bude seconds have a tough test at Boconnoc who rarely lose at Deer Park, while the other games see Roche seconds against mid-table St Neot and Ladock host free-falling Newquay seconds.

The title race seems a foregone conclusion in Division Four East as Luckett continue to set a superb pace.

They visit winless South Petherwin seconds, while second bottom Duloe make the short trip over to mid-table Saltash St Stephens.

Luckett’s nearest challengers Lanhydrock seconds have an away date at their Menheniot-Looe counterparts, while third-placed Wadebridge threes host in-form Milton Abbot at Pencarrow.

The other game sees Grampound Road thirds make the hour-plus trip into Devon to tackle Buckland Monachorum.

Just six games remain in Division Five East as the title race continues to heat up.

Two of the top three meet at leaders St Stephen welcome Pencarrow, while second-placed Liskeard will fancy their chances against bottom side Newquay thirds.

At present just two points separate St Stephen and Liskeard, who are still to play each other.

Elsewhere, Tintagel seconds will hope to cement fourth when they meet Foxhole who are seven points behind them, St Minver seconds welcome mid-table Werrington fourths and St Neot seconds welcome their Tideford counterparts to Wenmouth.

In the basement division, Holsworthy seconds continue their inevitable run to the title as they go to Gunnislake, while the other games see Launceston thirds host Boconnoc seconds and Menheniot-Looe thirds tackle Saltash St Stephens seconds at Duloe.