WERRINGTON skipper Nick Lawson praised his side’s efforts in the field but admitted they were always behind the game after slipping to a four-wicket defeat at Callington in their ECB Cornwall Premier League opener on Saturday.

The Tron were well-placed at 71-2 and 100-3 with opener John Moon going well on 55, but his departure was followed by the last six wickets producing just 32 as the hosts fought back superbly.

Callington’s batting didn’t fire either – not helped by a superb spell of off-spin bowling from Adam Hodgson who took 4-22 from his ten overs – but they got over the line with Cornwall opening bowler Ben Ellis unbeaten on 16. Earlier, South African opener Liam Lindsay made a brisk 32 to set Cally on their way.

Reflecting on the game, Lawson said: “It wasn’t the easiest of wickets but Callington bowled very well on the whole and the match-defining spell was (Mohammed) Danyaal’s second spell in the middle overs.

“Had we got through that unscathed three down with 20 odd overs to go we’d have got up to a decent score, but he took out Moony and then Hodgy, and then their spinners did their thing.

“They’re two good players of spin but once they departed we didn’t really recover and 132 was never really likely to be enough.

“A score of 170/180 would have been interesting as everyone knows chasing is never easy at Callington, but as I said defending 130-odd was always going to be a big ask.”

One huge positive for Lawson was the performance of Moon who has been honing his craft for St Albans in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association competition.

He said: “Moony batted really well off the back of a winter in Australia in Melbourne where he did well.

“We’re hoping this year is the year he really kicks on and makes some big scores for us and the signs are good.”

While Werrington’s batting has plenty of room for improvement, Lawson was pleased with their efforts in the field, adding: “I was delighted with the way we went about our bowling. We never let them get away and we took wickets pretty regularly.

“It’d have been very easy in that situation to let them get to 60-1 and roll over, but the way we scrapped and got those six wickets was very pleasing.”

He also had praise for veteran Hodgson, who continues to one of the club’s key players as well as combining his role as the director of cricket at Ladycross.

Lawson concluded: “Hodgy bowled superbly and it bodes well for the rest of the season.

He chucked it up a bit more than he usually does and he got the four big wickets of (Liam) Lindsay and (Xavier) Clarke in successive balls, and then a little later on (Max) Tryfonos and (Graham) Wagg, so hopefully he can have a few more days like that over the rest of the season.”