A STRONG start to the Mining Division Evening League season was made by Constantine as they defeated St Gluvias by 77 runs on Wednesday.

Kyle Winnan hit a couple of sixes and a four against his former side to set up a total of 145-7, which the Saints never looked like chasing down after a painfully slow start to their reply in Pool D.

Visiting skipper Sam Duckham won the toss and elected to field first on a soft surface and he picked up the opening wicket, bowling John Campbell for 20.

This sparked a tumble of wickets at the top of the order with Darren Griffiths falling in the same over before Jack Hesketh picked up two scalps as he matched his captain’s bowling figures of two for 21.

The score had gone from 31-0 to 43-4 in quick time, but Jacob Johnson and Robert Gardener steadied the ship with a partnership of 42, with the latter’s 26 being the top score of the evening.

Winnan came in at number eight and added impetus to the innings as he smashed a couple of meaty blows in his knock of 25 not out to help his new side to a decent total.

St Gluvias were happy with their bowling and fielding, with a couple of dropped catches the only slight taint to their performance.

As the light began to fade, a positive start was needed by the visitors to get in reach of their target, but newly promoted opening batsman George Thorpe struggled as he consistently found fielders with any shot he struck.

Eventually Thorpe was caught for five off the leg spin bowling of Alex Prynn and he was soon followed by Hesketh, one, Gabriel Williamson, Byron Winnan and Jacob Turner, who all fell for ducks.

At this stage with the scoreboard reading 13-5, nearly half the overs gone and Constantine bowling well, the Saints’ game was up.

Inside the final ten overs, Symon Winnan hit a quartet of fours in his 20 while Duckham scored 17 and in the final over a lovely pull shot by Imran Bashir helped him to 12 as the visitors ended on 68-9.

In Pool C, Perranarworthal got revenge on Mount Hawke as they recorded a 56 run victory.

Last year, Perran were beaten in the semi final stage of the competition by the eventual champions and batting first made 163-2, with half centuries from openers David Angell, 69 not out, and Dave Warman, 54.

Wickets fell at regular intervals in Hawke’s reply as they reached 117-9 in their allotted 20 overs.

Matt Hickmott, batting at number nine, scored a 19-ball 22 to top score for the visitors with Lee Coston being the pick of the bowlers, claiming figures of three for 32 as he decimated the top order.