CALLINGTON will appear in their first WT Edwards Cup final since 2015 tomorrow night (Thursday, July 11) when they take on hot favourites Penzance at Truro (6pm).

The Greens won the eastern section Hawkey Cup a fortnight ago by defeating Wadebridge in a thrilling final at St Austell, and know another victory will see them represent Cornwall in the South West Area T20 Finals Day at Bridgwater on Sunday, August 4.

However, Penzance, have won the last eight Vinter Cup titles, although they were later kicked out of the 2022 edition for fielding an ineligible player, and will be smarting after losing to St Austell in the league and then Bath in the last 16 of the ECB National Club Championship across the weekend.

Callington started their Hawkey Cup campaign at the quarter-final stage with a home tie against Werrington and eventually won a high-scoring contest by 13 runs having posted 225-6.

A routine semi-final success at Wadebridge Seconds sent them into the final where they beat Wadebridge by just four runs having made 180-5. Penzance beat Camborne by 14 runs in last week’s Vinter Cup final.

Callington director of cricket Joe White expects his side to go out there and express themselves.

He said: “We are extremely pumped and we go into the game as underdogs and feel like we have nothing to lose.

“We know the challenges that Penzance bring to the table, they have all bases covered with a quality seam attack, two of the best spinners in the league and firepower right throughout their batting line-up, but you can expect a fearless performance from us and we look forward to taking the game to Penzance.”

Callington are also up to second in the ECB Cornwall Premier League table after a 10-run victory at Redruth on Saturday, and White is excited for the second half of the season which gets underway on Saturday with a home game against Camborne (1pm).

He said: “We are very happy with our form in the league, to be sitting second in the league at the halfway stage is pleasing and we would have definitely taken that before the season started.

“But we know that the hard work has only just begun and it’s the second half is where we need to go up a level.

“It’s the business end of the season that we need to remain focused and play our best cricket.”

Callington have been involved in relegation battles over the last two seasons, and White admits it’s unchartered territory.

He said: “We aren’t a team used to being towards the top and fighting for the title, so it’s unknown territory for a lot of our lads.

“But we go into every game believing we can win it, and that is important.”

Saturday’s clash at Redruth was a topsy-turvy affair with several contributions throughout the team.

Cally were going along steadily at 119-4 after 30 overs with Graham Wagg and Matt Shepherd set after 34 from Aidan Libby and 29 from fellow opener Liam Lindsay.

But Shepherd, who scored 25 from just 19 balls, was soon out to Dulash Udayanga, and the Sri Lankan reduced Cally to 125-6 as he struck twice in two balls.

But Wagg dialled in and went on to make 64 with contributions from Toby May (10) and Joe White (18no) helping.

Redruth were going well themselves at 94-2 in a chase of 179 from 40 overs, with Toby Whiteford making 51, but after he departed lbw to Wagg, nobody else really got set as they fell to 168 all out.

Max Waller (3-31) and Shepherd (4-32) shared seven wickets as they went second.