VICTORY by 41 runs at home to Rosudgeon saw St Gluvias leap to first place in Division Two West of the Cornwall Cricket League on Saturday.

The Penryn-based side, who were third at the start of the day, took advantage of their closest rivals St Just and Paul having their matches called off because of the wet weather which gripped the county.

Despite light rain hovering over Kernick Road throughout the game, just one over was lost overall, allowing St Gluvias to pick up 19 points after scoring 198-9 and bowling their opponents out for 157.

Rosudgeon skipper Mark Waters won the toss and elected to field as the drizzle fell from the sky, meaning it would be a tricky wicket to bat on first up.

At first though it did not seem too troublesome for opener Richard Kellow who smashed 18 runs with three fours and a six, all hit straight back past young bowler Alex Pascoe, in the first over.

However, Pascoe would soon get his own back when Kellow went for one too many big hits and was caught by Waters at deep mid off for 22.

Home captain Jon Udy who has been in fine form recently found conditions difficult to bat in and was unlucky to knock a ball back to Pascoe after it popped up on him, departing the crease for just eight runs.

A calamitous run out then followed with Jake Preston and Scott Kellow finding themselves at the same end as they chased a third run, with the former having to go for 12.

It looked like the wheels were about to fall off the host’s innings, but Kellow wanting to make amends for his part in the run out held firm and played a dogged innings to ensure his team were not rolled over easily.

He was helped by Matt Julian who hit 18 runs off 25 balls and Josh Kelly who scored 24 off 23, with a couple of big sixes thrown in, to steady the ship.

Kellow was eventually out for 46 when he was bowled by Matthew Skewes.

It was then the turn of Andrew Julian to elevate the score close to the 200 mark as his bashed 35 not out of just 17 balls with three fours and three sixes.

St Gluvias’ final over was lost to rain as the players finally subsided and took refuge in the pavilion, but after tea the hosts got off to a great start as Julian fresh from his blistering innings followed it up by bowling Christopher Jacka for a duck four balls into Rosudgeon’s reply.

With light rain still falling, the visitors struggled to keep up with the run rate required despite solid innings of 26 from Liam Harvey and 42 from Waters providing some backbone.

Their middle order fell away though as Udy’s off spin bowling picked up five wickets for 35 runs as Rosudgeon’s numbers five, six and seven batters scored just one between them.

A nervy finish was provided though as Johnathan Stevens, coming in at nine, and number ten batsman Charles Harrison hung around for a while chipping away at the target with St Gluvias unable to breach their defences.

But with the score on 157-8, Stevens was caught for 33 off Udy to end his stay at the crease.

Then two balls later, Harrison was bowled for 22 by Julian in rather comical fashion as the batsman watched the ball hit his inside edge and pad before tamely rolling onto the stumps and nudging the bails off, giving St Gluvias the victory and an eight point lead above Paul.

On Saturday they travel to Gulval.