CORNWALL skipper Paul Smith hailed a ‘very special day’ as Cornwall took a big step towards the knockout stage of the NCCA T20 with a double success over Wiltshire at Werrington on Sunday.

The Duchy saw off Devon twice in their first double-header at Blundell’s School near Tiverton on matchday one, and again won twice on the chase to make it a perfect eight points from eight in Group Four.

Both matches followed a similar pattern with Wiltshire opener Tom Cheater smashing the bowling to all parts, but once he departed, Cornwall fought back.

In game one he struck 62 as the Greens reached 136-7, a total which would have been far higher bar a superb spell of 2-11 in four overs from Callington’s Ben Ellis.

Cornwall lost former Kent left-hander Alex Blake cheaply, but St Austell’s Alex Bone (33) and pro Will MacVicar (28) set the platform, allowing Smith (41) to hammer four sixes, including 28 off an over, as the hosts won by five wickets with eight balls to spare.

Cheater’s fine day continued in the second match as he reached his fifty in just the fifth over as Wiltshire motored along to 72 in the seventh over when Cheater (58) picked out Smith at long-off off debutant Ben Sleeman.

The 16-year-old seamer who plays for St Austell has already turned out for Somerset Seconds and took 1-20 off his three overs.

From there the visitors lost wickets at regular intervals as Callington’s Max Tryfonos took 5-30 from his four as Wiltshire slipped to 141-9.

A superb 30-run stand between Archie Fairfax-Ross (20no off 13) and Rhys Baker (18no off 7) gave them half a chance by reaching 171-9.

That total proved insignificant as Cornwall raced home with five overs to spare for the loss of just Bone and Blake.

Bone made just six from as many balls, but by the time Blake holed out on the boundary having walloped 59 from just 21 balls, Cornwall were 108-2 in the eighth over needing less than a run a ball.

Xavie Clarke continued the punishment as he was joined by MacVicar as they combined for a partnership of 67 in just 44 balls.

Clarke was 73 not out from 39 balls, while MacVicar was unbeaten on 34 having faced 24 deliveries.

Cornwall need just one victory from their final four games.

They face Dorset at Wimborne this Sunday (June 29) before welcoming Herefordshire to St Austell next weekend (July 6).

A delighted Smith said: “It was a very special day for me to lead Cornwall to two victories at my home club Werrington.

“We’ve had a brilliant start to the T20 campaign, and I couldn’t have asked the lads for a better response following a disappointing 50-over competition.

“In all three disciplines we have outplayed our opponents in all four games against two strong sides in Devon and Wiltshire.”

Smith continued: “We have tried to stack the batting with lots of firepower and that came to the fore on Sunday.

“(Alex) Blake and (Xavie) Clarke put on a show for a pretty big crowd which I am sure everyone enjoyed, and luckily I was able to send a few over the rope in the first game!

“It’s always nice to contribute to a Cornish win, especially at Werrington, and hopefully we can get qualification sealed on Sunday against Dorset!”