ECB CORNWALL PREMIER LEAGUE

Helston v Werrington

WERRINGTON got their ECB Cornwall Premier League campaign off to an excellent start on Saturday as they beat Helston by 68 runs at Beacon Parc.

The Ladycross outfit made the long trip west having had no time in the middle, but gave debuts to Sri Lanka Thulina Dilshan and Ryan Pooley, the latter signed from Tintagel.

Werrington skipper Nick Lawson won the toss and chose to bat, but openers Ben Smeeth and Sam Hockin found the going tough against the seam of Ryan Tonkin and off-spin of South African overseas player Lance Alberts.

Hockin went for seven, bowled trying a paddle sweep off Alberts, 

Dilshan came in at three and looked in decent touch before he looked to drive Tonkin over the top and was caught by Gavin Tregenza at mid-off for 12.

Helston’s spinners were keeping the runs down against Smeeth and new man Adam Hodgson, before Smeeth was out with the score at 97 in the 32nd over, stumped off Steve Jenkin for 38.

Werrington’s innings needed an injection of impetus and it was Mark Gribble that provided it.

Scoring all around the ground, he smoked six fours and a six before he was caught and bowled by Sunshine Osmont in the 47th over for 47 from 40 balls.

Hodgson continued to accumulate and finished unbeaten on 71 from 112 balls with five fours.

Once Gribble departed, wickets fell as Pooley (0), Ben Jenkin (4) and Lawson himself (0) all went in search of quick runs as they totalled 199-7.

Osmont finished with 3-24 from three overs at the end, while Tonkin (1-25 off ten) and Alberts (1-17 off ten) were extremely tight and bowled unchanged together.

Werrington felt they were ahead of the game at the break on a pitch which was conducive to their four-man spin attack, and so it proved.

Seamers Dan Barnard and Sam Hockin took the new ball although the impressive Karl Leathley soon took a liking to the pace as Hockin’s three overs cost 23.

That said, he did pick up the wicket of Billy Taylor, caught by Dilshan at point in his first over.

Barnard (2-31 off eight) bowled eight overs on the trot and was rewarded with two huge wickets.

First he had the aggressive Alberts (11) caught at mid-on by Mark Taskis as he looked to go over the top, before the key wicket of Dan Jenkin (6) arrived when he snicked through to Lawson behind the stumps.

Ben Smeeth was introduced for the 20th over and one again the former captain showed why he’s still one of the best all-rounders in the county.

Having serenely made his way to 51 from just 63 balls with eight fours, Leathley looked on course for a match-winning score.

However, he was undone by a brilliant catch by Dilshan at short cover, taken inches off the floor.

At 107-4 after 30 overs Helston were right in the contest, but they soon collapsed in spectacular fashion.

Steve Jenkin who had bided his time in making 21 from 66 balls, played around a straight one from Mark Taskis (2-22) before skipper Mark Jenkin was trapped lbw by Smeeth on the sweep for a single.

Tregenza made five before Smeeth struck for a third time, and it was 131-8 when debutant Charlie Hearn was caught and bowled by Taskis for two.

The final two wickets failed to add any further runs as Osmont (25) was lbw sweeping Smeeth who finished with 4-18 from his 10 overs.

Last man out was Brad Bury, run out by Barnard after a mix-up with Tonkin.

Werrington welcome Redruth on Saturday (1pm).