WERRINGTON slipped to a frustrating two-wicket defeat at mid-table rivals St Austell on Saturday.

After winning the toss, the village outfit started well as openers Adam Hodgson and John Moon added 37 before the former was bowled by Liam Watson for 18.

George Rickard (0) and Moon (27) fell in successive overs at 52-3, but Werrington then saw Thulina Dilshan and Mark Gribble put on 53 in just 38 balls before Gribble (22 off 20) was bowled by Ben Sleeman.

Dilshan (23 off 19) was given out lbw to left-arm spinner Andrew Libby, and from 110-5 the final wickets added just 33 as Libby (3-32) and off-spinner Gary Bone worked their way through the tail in no time as Werrington were dismissed with more than 17 overs to spare.

Defending just 144 is never easy, but Werrington were given an immediate boost as Dan Barnard (2-25) had Dan Jarman caught behind by skipper Nick Lawson with the second ball of the chase.

But they were soon grounded by a fine second wicket partnership between Mike Bone and Sri Lankan pro Thevindu Dickwella who had struck three centuries in his last five games, that after struggling for much of his maiden UK stint.

They added 68 before Bone was caught by John Moon off Jordan Duke (2-26 off 10) and when Dickwella went via the same method for 51 from just 42 balls, Werrington had a glimmer of hope at 81-3.

But Curtis Dalby and Ben Sleeman added 30, and although Werrington took some late wickets including 3-25 from Dilshan’s seven overs of leg-spin, St Austell were always ahead of the game.

Werrington dropped to sixth, but they can still end fifth if they beat second-placed Wadebridge and St Austell can do them a favour at Redruth on Saturday.