Falmouth 95 St Just 98-4

Falmouth’s 50/50 experience this season has been in stark contrast to last year’s. Then they narrowly lost taking the title with a five run defeat in the final against Werrington at St Austell in September. It’s a different story this year however as they will finish bottom of the west group, having completed their four match programme with a home defeat to St Just last weekend. They have ended with two defeats, abandonment and a cancellation to prop up the table in a disappointing start to the season.

Though probably of little concern at Trescobeas Redruth’s surprise win over Truro in the other group game on Saturday has thrown open the qualifications with any of the four other teams still in with a chance of the top two. The winners of this weekend’s games are likely to go through with St Just at Redruth and Truro hosting Camborne. Falmouth meanwhile have a bye and can prepare for the start of their Premier League campaign which begins at home to Camborne on the following Saturday.

In general Falmouth has had to play second fiddle to St Just in recent times and it was a similar story at the weekend. Ironically former Falmouth pro Justin Stephens struck the first blow, trapping Harry Roberts lbw with only two on the board. The key wicket of Stefan Churcher followed when the young former Paul seamer Callum Donnelly had him caught by Neil Curnow for a duck at nine for two.

The rest of the innings was all about Antony Angove who battled to make 50 before being run out with the score at 90-7.Arup Revandkar with 16 was the only other home batsman in double figures. The next best was Paddy Varkar who made four. Spinners Mark George took three for 20 and Philip Nicholas three for six from six overs. The innings ended in the 38th over with the last four wickets falling in a hurry for just five runs. In the St Just reply an early wicket saw Angove bowl Neil Curnow for two. Mark George made 20 before being dismissed by Revandkar with the score at 38. 

Australian Harry Medhurst has made a good start with the bat on his arrival in the country and he top scored with 31 before becoming the first of two victims for Guy Leathley. The spinner then had Gary Thomas stumped by Kieran Rodda for a duck at 75 for four. That was the last Falmouth success however as Gavin Edwards (16no) and Justin Stephens (12no) sealed a comfortable win in the 23rd over. Leathley took two for 19 with one apiece for Angove and Revandkar.

Falmouth 95 St Just 98-4
FALMOUTH
H Roberts lbw Stephens 2
S Churcher c Curnow b Donnelly 0
A Revandkar lbw M George 16
A Angove run out 50
C Mouatt lbw M George 2
A Noott b M George 1
G Leathley b Nicholas 2
A Varker b Nicholas 4
K Rodda not out 3
G Furnival c Donnelly b Nicholas 0
G Popperwell lbw May 1
Extras 14
Total (37.3 overs) 95
Fall: 1-5; 2-38; 3-69; 4-75.
Bowling: J Stephens 5-3-4-1, C Donnelly 2-0-14-1, H Medhurst 2-1-12-0, M George 9-1-20-3, G May 8.3-1-19-1, N George 5-1-14-0, P Nicholas 6-2-6-3.

ST JUST
N Curnow b Angove 2
M George c Mouatt b Revandkar 20
H Medhurst c Popperwell b Leathley 31
G Thomas st Rodda b Leathley 0
G Edwards not out 16
J Stephens not out 12
Extras 17
Total (4 wkts, 22.2 overs) 98
Fall: 1-5; 2-38; 3-69; 4-75.
Did not bat: G May, D Mitchell, P Nicholas, C Donnelly, N George.
Bowling: A Angove 4-0-24-1, G Furnival 4-1-14-0, A Revandkar 6-1-19-1, G Popperwell 2-0-13-0, G Leathley 4-0-19-2, C Mouatt 2.2-1-9-0.
Result: St Just (18pts) beat Falmouth (2pts) by six wickets.