Cornwall Cricket
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MCCA Trophy 2008
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Sunday 1st June at St Just
Cornwall v Devon
Devon 229-9, Cornwall 144
Cornwall’s hopes of MCCA Trophy glory disappeared in the St Just sunshine on Sunday when they went down to an 85 run defeat to old rivals Devon. On the day Cornwall could have no complaints as the raiders from across the Tamar gained a deserved victory. It is Devon, therefore that go forward to the quarter finals, along with group winners Berkshire with Cornwall finishing third. As expected, thanks to Cheshire’s win over Cumberland on Sunday, Devon face a tough quarter final assignment away to last year’s beaten finalists Cheshire, and only a couple of weeks to put in place the logistics for the trip to the North West. Devon opted to bat and posted the useful total of 229 for 9 in their 50 overs. Rob Harrison picked up a couple of early wickets, including that of skipper Bobby Dawson. At 75 for 4, after 19 overs, Cornwall had hopes of a target of less than 200 to chase. However David Court made 44 and David Lye 52, adding 59 for the fifth wicket. With useful contributions from the lower order of Sandy Allen (16), Trevor Anning (22no) and Ian Bishop (23) the visitors had something to defend. Harrison, recovering from an ankle injury, took two for 19 from 10 overs. Mark George, who came into the team after Matt Robins’s late withdrawal, took three for 35 from 10 overs. The rest of the seven man home attack leaked runs however. The Cornish reply could hardly had got off to a worse start. David Roberts, on his return to the team after two seasons, was lbw to Anning for 1 in the fifth over. Then in the next over fellow former first class player, and match professional, Mike Burns was caught behind for 5 to make it 8 for 2. Devon sensed they were well on their way. Gary Thomas and Tom Sharp combined to get the fifty up in the 20th over before Thomas went for 29 that included four boundaries. The Devon close fielders were convinced they had him caught behind but their celebrations had to be curtailed. Their jubilation was quickly reinstated however as next ball Stuart Barlow knocked back Thomas’s stumps. As is cricket centurion last time out Chris Hunkin was bowled first ball by Hancock and Alex Smeeth then lofted the seamer to Dawson at extra cover. The dramatic collapse continued as Tom Sharp was lbw for 18 before Hancock then held onto a stunning one handed, diving return catch from a disbelieving Antony Angove. Five wickets had gone for 12 runs and thanks to ‘Hancock’s half hour’ that was effectively that. Gavin Edwards, as he has done throughout the qualifiers, struck some telling blows down the order, including a couple of sixes. He made 34 before being last man out but the game had long gone. Cornwall’s tailenders added some respectability to the total to make 144 all out in the 44th over. Hancock took four for 24 but the Devon bowlers all performed well, on a dry pitch.
Sunday 11th May at Colwall
Herefordshire v Cornwall
Cornwall 253-6, Herefordshire 248
Cornwall's MCCA Trophy aspirations are still alive, but only just, following a dramatic five run win over Herefordshire at Colwall yesterday. On a glorious day, with the Malvern Hills providing a stunning backdrop, the Duchy managed to scrap home in a thrilling finish. The victory was set up by a Chris Hunkin century, then in a tense finale, achieved by two last over run outs. Cornwall made a late change giving Callington's Dan Davis a debut. The nineteen year old all rounder, who made 62 not out for Somerset seconds at Durham in the week, came in to replace Kelvin Snell. Having opted to bat the Duchy didn't get off to the best of starts losing Matt Robins caught behind off Simon Roberts without scoring. Gary Thomas and Mike Burns took the total to 40 before Thomas went for 17 to Roberts. Things quickly got worse as Tom Sharp was lbw first ball, to Stuart Wedge, then Mike Burns was caught at slip to make it 54 for 4. Chris Hunkin and Alex Smeeth then set about a much needed recovery but they had plenty to do with only 84 on the board at the half-way mark of the innings. Smeeth again batted well to hit six boundaries in his 39 before hitting spinner Owen Price to deep point. The pair had added a valuable 86 for the fifth wicket. Rob Harrison lofted Price to mid wicket but that only saw the entry of wicket-keeper Gavin Edwards. For the second successive week he played a great lower order innings. His unbeaten 36 included a six and 4 fours and helped to add an unbroken 90 for the seventh wicket, giving the innings a late boost. At the other end the impressive Hunkin progressed to exactly 100 not out made off 119 balls with 3 sixes and 10 fours. No mean feat either as it is only the third Cornwall one-day century in a total of 73 competitive cup games. Ed Nicolson hit 121 not out against the Somerset Cricket Board in 1998 bettering Phil Stephens's 100 against Wiltshire at Truro in 1988. Roberts took two for 45 and Price two for 63. Tidiest of the home attack was Luke Sellars who conceded 28 runs in ten overs. The home team stuttered despite Harshad Patel making 23 at the top of the order. Rob Harrison struck twice and with the aid of a run out, at 106-5 the game looked to be going Cornwall's way. Home skipper Chris Boroughs had other ideas hitting 93 before being dismissed by Smeeth. With 53 needed off four overs and 38 off three it looked a tall order. Ian Stevenson (18), Wedge (18) and Roberts (25) threw caution to the wind. It came down to seven needed with two wickets left off the last over, bowled by rookie Davis. Sellars was run out off the first ball. A dot ball followed then Roberts was run out coming back for a second to send the Cornish down the M5 breathing a sigh of relief. It won't get any easier either next time out as Devon are due at St Just on June 1st for the final group game.
Sunday 4th May at Camborne
Cornwall v Berkshire
Cornwall 207-6, Berkshire 178
Cornwall kept their hopes alive of making it to the knock-out stages of the MCCA Trophy with a rare and fighting 29 run win over bogey side Berkshire at Camborne . The day dawned wet and murky at Roskear – the eighth consecutive County game at Camborne to be hit by rain. A lunchtime clearance brought a warm and sunny afternoon however allowing a 40 over game to get underway just before 2 o’clock. Cornwall made two late changes with Mark George and Simon Ellison pulling out overnight due to injury. Antony Angove and Martin Jenkin came into the team. Having been put in the Cornish openers Matt Robins and Gary Thomas prospered to put on 57 in 12 overs before Thomas was lbw in Steve Naylor’s second over. It was the start of an inspired spell by the right arm quickie who accounted for Mike Burns and Tom Sharp in each of his next two overs before bowling Chris Hunkin fourth ball at 72 for 4. The spell was prematurely ended however when Naylor was unable to completed his sixth over due to injury, having the most impressive figures of 4 for 2 at the time. The Werrington pair Robins and Alex Smeeth staged a recovery adding exactly 50 before Smeeth fell for 18. Robins followed for 59 made off 102 balls that included a 6 and 4 fours. With just over six overs to go Cornwall need a late rally – and they got it in style. Rob Harrison and Gavin Edwards combined to put on a valuable unbroken 69 for the seventh wicket. Harrison’s 37 not out came off 33 balls while Edwards smashed a six and 5 fours making 39 not out in just 20 balls. It took Cornwall to a useful 207-6. Former Somerset and England bowler Richard Johnson conceded 37 from three overs, on his return to the attack at the end of the innings. The visitors got to 25 in the seventh over before Jonathan Trower edged Harrison to Sharp in the slip cordon. John McClean, on his debut, was bowled by Martin Jenkin. At 67 opener David Baines was run out for 22 from a direct hit, despite a despairing dive to make his ground. James Morris was caught in the deep soon after by Kelvin Snell to give Jenkin a second wicket. Captain Bjorn Mordt made 18 to see the hundred up but he became a second run out victim. Cornwall sensed victory as Smeeth went through the lower order. Naylor though, in some late hitting, hammered three sixes in a belligerent 33 before holing out to Sharp in the penultimate over. Smeeth ended with four for 51. Harrison bowled tidily to take one for 20 from eight overs and Jenkin proved his worth taking two for 28 from eight overs.
Sunday 27th April at Devizes
Wiltshire v Cornwall
Wiltshire 187, Cornwall 145
Cornwall got off to a disappointing start in the MCCA Trophy losing to Wiltshire at Devizes by 35 runs on Sunday. The bowlers looked to have done their job bowling the home team out for 187 on a decent track. Kelvin Snell took four for 61 from eight overs. The wickets were shared around by the others with Rob Harrison only conceding 25 runs in his ten overs. Mike Coles took advantage of a life to make 52. Wiltshire's Alex Sennack destroyed the Cornwall top order however to take four for 28. Half the side were dismissed for 55. Former Somerset skipper Mike Burns made 21 on his debut and Matt Robins was looking good before being caught for 20. Chris Hunkin (38) and Harrison (13) threatened to put Cornwall back into the game adding 51 for the seventh wicket. Once they were dismissed within a couple of balls of each other Cornish hopes ended. They had eight overs unused when the end came at 145.