BOND TIMBER CORNWALL CRICKET LEAGUE PREVIEW for Saturday, June 10

WE’RE already at week nine of the Cornwall Cricket League season on Saturday and already Werrington face a crucial clash in the ECB Cornwall Premier League.

Both the Tron and opponents Hayle have yet to win in their four league outings so far, and Werrington know that a defeat on Saturday will put them close to 20 points adrift.

The North Cornwall side make the long trip down to the Towans five points behind Hayle, and if they are beaten, already face a real challenge to ensure survival.

However Nick Lawson’s men will take plenty of encouragement from a much-improved performance against champions Penzance last Saturday where Adam Hodgson’s superb 116 got them to within 35 of the visitors’ imposing score of 284-7.

Werrington have also bowled well in keeping Helston and Camborne to totals in the 160s, and although they have failed to chase those down, are showing signs that a complete performance is around the corner.

Hayle have played Penzance and Wadebridge as well as Callington away and Redruth at home and have had their moments in each before falling to defeat.

They are skippered by Cornwall legend Tom Sharp, and although the all-rounder is now in his mid-forties, is still a fine player.

Kiwi Sam Mycock and Aussie Mitchell Oliver are key wickets at the top of the order while new recruit Tom Cummins has shown his worth already this summer with both bat and ball.

When the two sides met there in the league last summer, Hayle ran out comfortable winners with leg-spinner Max Jenkin to the fore.

Werrington are without young Hugh Tomkinson due to exams, but he will play at home for the second team, but are bolstered by the return of key all-rounder Ben Smeeth to open the batting.

Bowler Keith Maynard is only fit enough to bat so drops out while in-form opening bowler Sam Hockin has to work.

Second team captain Rob Dymond comes in to add some late order hitting while left-armer Jordan Duke will provide a useful option with the ball.

WERRINGTON at Hayle: Ben Smeeth, John Moon, Adam Hodgson, Mark Gribble, Ben Jenkin, Sam Willis, Nick Lawson (capt, wkt), Dan Barnard, Rob Dymond, Mark Taskis, Jordan Duke.

CALLINGTON make their longest trip of the season when they head down to Cape Cornwall to tackle St Just on a day where the bottom four face off.

Both teams have won just once and know that with one of the teams below them likely to win, a defeat will keep them right in amongst it.

St Just’s professional this summer is once again former Somerset leg-spinner Max Waller while South African Nic Whitelaw has made a steady start.

Callington skipper Luke Brenton has to do without a pro as Nick Gubbins is unavailable having struck a debut century last week. Somerset’s Roelof van der Merwe remains on duty in the T20 Blast and is unavailable, as is director of cricket Joe White who is working in America.

Coming in from the side that lost to St Austell are talented teenage seamer Ben Alford and batsman Nick Parker.

CALLINGTON at St Just: Aidan Libby, Luke Brenton (capt), Liam Lindsay, Nick Parker, Ben Ellis, Toby May, Fred Wilkinson (wkt), Ryan Brown, George Wilkinson, Ben Alford, Harry Sawyers.

COUNTY DIVISION ONE

Lanhydrock had a tough afternoon at Beacon last weekend as Ben James’ monster 169 set the hosts to a massive 186-run win.

The visitors endured a long afternoon in the field as the home side racked up 307-7 despite Brian Barnicoat’s 5-71, before they were bundled out for just 121, opener Siam Juntakereket top-scoring with 24.

The Bodmin club are just five points adrift of third bottom St Erme who were hammered in the derby at Truro last weekend. The visitors this weekend for the clubs’ first ever league meeting are Truro who are seeking an immediate return to the Premier Division having dropped out of the top-flight for the first time in their history last summer.

Home skipper Simon Benney has to once again do without injured Indian overseas player Viraj Hadkar which leaves a gaping hole with both bat and ball.

From last weekend, Jasper Heaver and Sam Guerin come in for Jacob Eldridge and Jack Trethewey.

LANHYDROCK v Truro: Siam Juntakereket, Jamie Eldridge, James Starkie-Old, Ben Attfield, Sam Guerin, Simon Benney (capt, wkt), Ryan Butler, Jasper Heaver, Ross Keast, Ruben Turner, Brian Barnicoat.

DIVISION TWO EAST

THE big game of the day is at Callington Seconds as in-form Holsworthy visit Moores Park (1pm).

Cally are yet to lose but with three of their eight games being cancelled, they sit 16 points behind leaders St Blazey.

Callington make three changes from the side that won by six wickets at Bude last Saturday with spinner Harvey Poad and batsmen Toby Beresford-Power and Peter Tancock coming in.

Holsworthy are missing opener Jack May and middle-order batsman Brendan Harris while Ben Hutchings also drops out.

That means Matt Shepherd is set to open with skipper Ryan Walter moving up to his old position of four.

Bowler Ryan Bridgeman makes his first appearance of the season, 15-year-old batsman Alfie Sealey gets a debut in the middle order and wicket-keeper Chris Pomeroy returns.

CALLINGTON SECONDS v Holsworthy: Tom Neville (capt), Toby Beresford-Power, James Brenton, Peter Tancock, Chris Simpson, James Moon (wkt), Richard Brown, Jim Shorten, Spencer Ham, Harvey Poad, Spencer Whatley.

HOLSWORTHY at Callington Seconds: Matt Shepherd, Aiden Gerry, Herschelle Poggenpoel, Ryan Walter (capt), Jack Greening, Alfie Sealey, Chris Pomeroy (wkt), Rob Mitchell, Ryan Bridgeman, Nick Ward, Graham Wild.

TINTAGEL and Werrington Seconds haven’t met in a league game for well over 20 years but it happens on Saturday at Ladycross.

Werrington will look to bounce back from a four-wicket reversal at the hands of St Austell Seconds while Tintagel go into the game in top form having beaten leaders St Blazey.

Tintagel captain Ryan Pooley is once again missing Gyles Reynolds, as is wicket-keeper Sam Abbott, while bowler Harry Daly drops out.

In come batsman Ben Jarram and Ollie Beaumont, the latter who is making his first appearance of the season. He will take the gloves.

Werrington have skipper Rob Dymond and opening bowler Jordan Duke in the first team but still name a strong side.

All-rounders Mark Hodgson and James Adams return as does Dan Warring who will keep wicket. Young batsman Hugh Tomkinson is also in as George Rickard (unavailable) and Zander Zambuni drop out.

WERRINGTON SECONDS v Tintagel: Rob May, Marley May, Hugh Tomkinson, Tom Lyle, Dan Howgill, James Adams, Mark Hodgson, Dan Warring (wkt), Jason Seldon, Ian Worsnip (capt), Ian Searle.

TINTAGEL at Werrington Seconds: Tom Parsons, Matt Jolliffe, Jordan Burnard, Ryan Pooley (capt), Jordan Blanchard, Adrian Pooley, Callum Flew, Ben Jarram, Matt Pethick, Dan Jn Baptiste, Ollie Beaumont (wkt).

SOUTH Petherwin host winless Menheniot-Looe looking to move further away from the bottom two.

Petherwin themselves have won just once so far but have a 23-point gap over Menheniot who do have a game in-hand.

Petherwin’s batting has stood up fine so far but they need more penetration with the ball.

However skipper Jacob Masters has the rare luxury of a full-strength team to choose from as all-rounder Sam Pengelly comes back in.

SOUTH PETHERWIN v Menheniot-Looe: Michael Bolt, Adrian Warne, Andrew Brenton, Sam Pengelly, Paul Clements, Tom Rickard, Jacob Masters (capt, wkt), Billy Martin, Phil Pridham, Adrian Clements, Kevin Horrell.

LUCKETT need a win when they welcome fellow promoted side St Minver to Chapel Field.

The village side are already 22 points adrift of South Petherwin and can’t afford to let the gap get any bigger.

St Minver travel having won by seven wickets against South Petherwin last Saturday and have three wins from the seven games they have played.

They have to do without last week’s hundred hero Ben Hawken and opening bowler Charlie Hawken, but are able to recall Ryan Pooley and wicket-keeper Tom Preston-Evans.

Veteran Matt Gilbert will bolster the top order with the Grasshoppers having a long batting line-up.

ST MINVER at Luckett: Ryan Pooley, Antony Ash, Matt Gilbert, Mark Turner, Jonny Centini (capt), Keron Persaud, Alek Gill, Tom Preston-Evans (wkt), Rob Hawken, Kieran Gill, Dean Jeffery.

BUDE visit leaders St Blazey looking to bounce back from a six-wicket reversal at the hands of Callington Seconds.

The Seasiders have lost two of their last three and are ninth at present in a congested table.

Skipper Warren Rumble has freshened up the batting order following last Saturday’s defeat.

Gordon Wint and Matt Williams will form a new-look opening partnership with Rumble dropping himself to three and Wayne Adams into the middle order.

James Sharman misses out once more although Matt Mansbridge, who has been opening the bowling in the games he has played this season, returns to keep wicket in the absence of Tom Lush.

BUDE at St Blazey: Gordon Wint, Matt Williams, Warren Rumble (capt), Matt Whitefield, Wayne Adams, Andrew De Rosa, Matt Mansbridge (wkt), James Turner, Ryan Chalkley, Jonathan Garner, Brett Hunter.

Other fixture (1pm): Wadebridge 2 v St Austell 2.

DIVISION THREE EAST

LAUNCESTON face Callington Thirds at Landulph looking to kickstart a stuttering campaign.

Darren Jenkin’s side have struggled to put a complete performance together despite getting themselves into some promising situations, and will need to if they are to pick up a first away win of the season.

Cally have had an excellent start despite a huge turnaround in players and sit second in the table.

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

DIVISION FOUR EAST

WERRINGTON Thirds have a home encounter with fellow high-flyers Buckland Monachorum as they look to cement their place in the top two.

They demolished their Grampound Road Thirds counterparts last Saturday by 206 runs having racked up a massive 289-5, but will face a much sterner test against a side that have only lost once so far.

Launceston Seconds are situated in third and welcome Grampound Road Thirds to Lawhitton.

The hosts will be confident but continue to have a high turnover of players.

St Minver Seconds put in a much-improved batting display at Lanhydrock and will need to do so again if they are to give leaders Liskeard a run for their money.

Liskeard have only been beaten once so far and last weekend had the luxury of calling upon former Menheniot-Looe and Callington batsman Ben Millar who took four wickets and made a half century.

Other fixtures (1pm): Bugle v St Blazey 2, Menheniot-Looe 2 v Lanhydrock 2, Wadebridge 3 v St Stephen.

DIVISION FIVE EAST

TWO of the top four clash at Crooklets as Bude Seconds welcome Werrington Fourths.

Bude were surprisingly beaten at bottom side Roche Thirds last Saturday, although the hosts were able to name a side full of players that have been in the seconds.

Werrington are in good form as skipper Keith Moore looks to get a band of promising youngsters into adults cricket.

Leaders Duloe, 14 points clear of Bude, make the awkward trip to a Newquay Thirds side that have done well.

Fifth-placed South Petherwin Seconds are on the road as they visit Gunnislake.

Gunni bounced back to form at St Neot last weekend and will fancy their chances against a Petherwin side that blow hot and cold.

Tintagel Seconds are 27 points adrift of the top two with two games in-hand and they will back themselves to beat St Austell Fourths at Butts Field.

The Saints have found the going tough since promotion while Tintagel snuck to a two-wicket with at South Petherwin last Saturday having bowled their hosts out for just 87.

Holsworthy Seconds had designs on being up towards the top end come September, but they will need to keep the momentum going from their victory at St Austell last Saturday when Roche make the long trip up to Stanhope Park.

Other fixture (1pm): Foxhole v St Neot 2.

DIVISION SIX EAST

TWO in-form teams meet as Saltash St Stephens Seconds entertain table-toppers Launceston Thirds.

Launceston have won their last three games following a rain-affected start, while Saltash have also not tasted defeat in a while.

They have only played five games compared to Launceston’s seven and are just five points behind in a congested table.

Luckett Seconds were the early pacesetters but after having to concede at Boconnoc and having last weekend off, their momentum has somewhat stalled.

That said, they are only 12 behind Launceston with a game in-hand ahead of their game with Boconnoc.

With just seven teams in the league, it means teams play each other three times, often in very quick succession. 

Other fixture (1pm): Menheniot-Looe 3 v Tideford 2.