Callington Cricket Club round-up – Saturday, May 25

GRAHAM Wagg struck 80 as Callington racked up 225-8 in a 33-over game at St Austell in the ECB Cornwall Premier League before the weather ruined the contest.

Liam Watson got the home side off to a good start as he trapped Luke Brenton lbw for nine before opening partner Aidan Libby was caught by former Cally youngster Adam Snowdon for 22 in the ninth over.

A rain break of over two hours meant the game was reduced to 33 overs per side and when they resumed, Callington put on the afterburners.

South African overseas player Liam Lindsay and Wagg, the former Warwickshire, Derbyshire and Glamorgan all-rounder, took the score from 97-2 after 20 overs, and by the time the innings had finished they, plus those coming in later, put on 128 in just 13 overs as St Austell’s bowlers took a pasting.

Lindsay played the anchor role with 46 from 60 balls, while Wagg smashed four sixes in his 80 from just 66 deliveries.

Wagg was the first to go, caught by David Munn off Connor Cooke, and although Lindsay was soon run out, cameos from Max Waller (14 off 6), Matt Shepherd (8 off 6) and James Brenton (19 off 10) got them up to a healthy score.

St Austell openers Mike Bone and Dan Jarman got the hosts to 14-0 after five overs, before the heavens opened again.

Cally have the small matter of title favourites Penzance this Saturday at Moores Park (1pm).

Callington Seconds were surprisingly beaten by promoted Ladock at Moores Park in Division Two East.

Callington weren’t far from full strength but were undone by the visitors’ bowlers as they were dismissed cheaply for the second straight week.

Skipper Richard Brown made 36 at the top of the order and Cornwall youngster Blake Tancock 31, but bar 16 from number nine from Jim Shorten, there was nothing else to shout about as veteran Patrick Morgan claimed 5-16.

Shorten then gave Cally hope by taking 3-17 from six overs with the new ball including the key wicket of Alex Ridd for 19, but 49 from Simon Newland plus an unbeaten 35 from Vivek Oza gave the mid-Cornwall club their third win in a campaign many expected them to struggle in.

While the second suffered disappointment, former Saltash all-rounder Chris Simpson produced another superb performance as the in-form third team won by five wickets at Grampound Road Seconds in Division Three East.

The Road got off to a decent start through openers Jonathan Bustin (32) and Bex Odgers (23), but it was a rapid 80 from youngster Jack Darling that got the Road up to 180 all out.

Cornwall Over 50s seamer Spencer Ham was tidy with 2-31 from his nine overs, while the rest although expensive, chipped in.

Charlie Coates (2-33 off five), Harvey Poad (2-25 off four) and Jarvis Hazeldine (2-17 off three) helped dismiss the hosts, who had ten players, for 180 in just 31.2 overs.

Charlie Coates and Zak Newton-Jenkins departed early in the chase, before James Moon (24) and Simpson got the ball rolling.

With plenty of gaps in the field for the hosts to cover, runs were always going to come, and Simpson, who struck 12 fours and a six in his unbeaten 75, found useful support from number six Mohamed Durrani-Zubair.

His knock of 32 provided the perfect foil before Lee Hazeldine added an unbeaten 13 at the end to get them home in just the 27th over.

Both the seconds and thirds have away local derbies on Saturday.

The seconds visit Menheniot-Looe while the thirds make the trip to Tideford.