WT Edwards Cup final at St Austell — Wednesday, July 18

Penzance 202-5 (20)

Werrington 112 (18.3)

WERRINGTON’S hopes of becoming Cornish T20 champions for the first time since 2013 came to a shuddering halt at St Austell last Wednesday as Penzance won the WT Edwards Cup final by a massive 112 runs to advance into the Group 3 Area Final of the ECB National Club T20 on Sunday.

Missing captain Paul Smith and Tom Dinnis from the side that won the Hawkey Cup title against St Austell a fortnight previously, the Ladycross club were blown away by some magical batting from a side boasting the talents of former Essex and Derbyshire all-rounder Greg Smith and former Cornwall professional Brad Wadlan in a total of 202-5.

Needing 10.15 an over from the outset, Werrington lost wickets regularly to be all out with nine balls remaining as only Australian Jono Baldock passed 20.

On a perfect summers evening in front of another large crowd, Penzance won the toss and chose to bat although they didn’t have it all their own way to begin with.

After hitting a brace of boundaries, the dangerous Tommy Sturgess (9) was back to the pavilion off the last ball of the first over as he edged Sam Hockin’s delivery through to wicket-keeper Nick Lawson.

With off-spinner Ben Smeeth (4-0-24-1) keeping things extremely tight from one end in the powerplay, Penzance went after the other bowlers with pinch-hitter Nathan Pobega sent in to do exactly that.

However despite a couple of lusty blows, the Australian born all-rounder could only make 15 off 17 balls before Hockin took a brilliant catch at long-off arching to his right off Baldock.

Smeeth conceded just 12 from three overs in the powerplay, but the introduction of Smith to the crease changed the game as Penzance scored 145 runs off the final 11 overs although Dan Barnard could be pleased with his efforts of going for just 23 off three overs.

Combining razor-like running with the ability to hit the ball 360 degrees around the ground, he and opener Dylan Blignaut put on 127 in just 72 balls before Smith was dismissed for 68 off just 43 balls when he could only sky an attempted straight drive to Hockin at long-off.

Blignaut, who had routinely peppered the midwicket boundary with consummate ease later in his innings, was soon bowled by the returning Smeeth for 53 aiming another blow to cow-corner.

At 170-4 with 15 balls remaining, the innings could have stuttered, however Wales pro Wadlan, who has played first-class and minor counties cricket, was in a devastating mood.

Off Smeeth’s first ball, he brought out the switch-hit which landed ten metres over the boundary and proceeded to smash an unbeaten 34 from just 12 balls — an innings which took the game firmly away from Lawson’s men.

The Werrington chase started well as Robins (10) took the left-arm spin of Wadlan (4-0-27-3) for a brace of boundaries.

However Wadlan soon had his revenge as Smith took a good catching running back from mid-off.

With the extreme pace of Sturgess from the other end, Werrington didn’t have a release and wickets continued to tumble.

Mark Gribble was adjudged caught behind off Sturgess for just 2 and Hodgson (5) was bowled in the next over advancing down the wicket to Wadlan.

Baldock and Lawson put together an entertaining stand of 23 with Wadlan getting some tap, however he again had the final word as wicket-keeper Charles Goldsworthy showed lightning-fast reflexes to stump the latter for 13.

Baldock continued to target the short straight boundary and added another 20 with Tom Lyle (9) before the latter was brilliantly snaffled by Antony Angove diving away to his right off a Piran Kent full toss.

While that catch was good, it was nothing compared to what happened next.

New batsman Nicholas Adams (6) had just hit Jonathan Ludlam through midwicket for four and the next ball looked like it was heading for a maximum.

However Smith had the presence of mind to stand right on the edge of the boundary, catch it and let go before his feet hit the ground, which allowed Sturgess the simplest of takes.

Baldock (22) and Darren Webber (1) were dismissed soon after and although Hockin and Smeeth added 15, Kent had Hockin (9) caught at cover by Angove.

The rest of the game for the North Cornwall side was an exercise in making the scoreline as respectable as possible, and the last pair of Smeeth (13no) and Dan Barnard did just that, combining plenty of good running with a couple of big shots to add 28 until Sturgess bowled Barnard for 18 to end proceedings.

Penzance will take on Devon champions Exmouth on Sunday at 11am for the right to face South Wales champions Port Talbot Town or West of England Premier League side Bristol in the decider.

The winners of that will face one of the other seven group winners in the last eight before the showpiece semi-finals and finals take place at Derbyshire’s County Ground on Sunday, September 16.

To view the full scorecard from the final, visit www.cornwallcricket.co.uk and follow the links.