Falmouth 201-9 Helston 177

Falmouth’s good run of form continued with a 24-run win at Beacon Parc to complete a league double.

Since mid July they’ve beaten Grampound Road, Werrington and Helston with just a narrow defeat against Penzance. Helston meanwhile are suffering a dip in form with back to back defeats for the first time since their return to the Premier League.

After electing to bat Falmouth got off to a sound start with Callum Whittaker and Kieran Rodda adding 42 for the first wicket before Rodda was leg before to Steve Eddy for 16.

Harry Roberts didn’t last long before he was dismissed by Tommy Sturgess for six. Stefan Churcher then joined Whittaker and the pair added an important 63 for the third wicket. Dan Jenkin broke the stand bowling Churcher for 21. Guy Leathley, one of three brothers in the same match, made eight before Steve Jenkin ran him out.

One run later, at 163, Whittaker’s vigil finally ended. He was fifth out for 88 having faced 141 balls and hit a six and 8 fours.

George Popperwell (12) and Jordan Thomas (17) got some useful late runs to see the 200 up.

Tommy Sturgess took three for 39 with one each for Eddy, Dan Jenkin and Gavin Tregenza. Helston’s reply got off to a poor start with Popperwell making two big early strikes. He bowled Mark Jenkin for a single and seven runs later got rid of Tregenza in the same fashion.

Lionel Vaaltyn continued his good form with the bat and got past 30 for the sixth time in the last seven innings. He fell however to the leg spin of Sushan Bhari for 43.

It was the start of a collapse as Dan Jenkin followed lbw to Jamie Stephens for 37. The middle order of Chris Martin, Sturgess and Ben Rule all failed to get going as five wickets fell for 24 runs to make it 115-7. Ross Leathley and Steve Jenkin added 59 for the eighth wicket to give hope.

The last three wickets fell for three runs however. Ross Leathley was bowled by Popperwell (3-37). Guy Leathley (2-41) had brother Karl stumped by Whittaker and he then bowled Steve Jenkin for 21, with 15 balls remaining. Stephens took three for 22 and Bhari two for 34.

Falmouth are at Truro on Saturday and Helston travel to Newquay.

* Tommy Sturgess opened the bowling for Northamptonshire Under 19’s against Leicestershire at Overstone, near Northampton, on Monday. He only conceded 15 runs in his opening six over spell and took a wicket in the first over of his return.

FALMOUTH

C Whittaker c Eddy b Sturgess 88

K Rodda lbw b Eddy 16

H Roberts c Martin b Sturgess 6

S Churcher b D Jenkin 21

G Leathley run out (S Jenkin) 8

G Popperwell run out (Tregenza) 12

J Stephens lbw b Tregenza 4

J Thomas not out 17

S Bhari b Sturgess 0

S Hooper run out (D Jenkin) 0

Extras 29

Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 201

Fall: 1-24; 2-29; 3-29; 4-122; 5-168; 6-185; 7-189; 8-202; 9-202.

Did not bat: T Ward

Bowling: T Sturgess 10-1-39-3, S Eddy 10-5-11-1, G Tregenza 10-1-44-1, L Vaaltyn 10-0-37-0, S Jenkin 5-0-28-0, D Jenkin 5-1-31-1.

HELSTON

D Jenkin lbw b Stephens 37

M Jenkin b Popperwell 1

G Tregenza b Popperwell 4

L Vaaltyn lbw b Bhari 43

C Martin b Stephens 4

B Rule b Bhari 12

T Sturgess b Stephens 0

R Leathley b Popperwell 31

S Jenkin b Leathley 21

K Leathley st Whittaker b Leathley 1

S Eddy not out 0

Extras 23

Total (47.3 overs) 177

Fall: 1-5; 2-12; 3-91; 4-100; 5-103; 6-111; 7-115; 8-174; 9-175.

Bowling: J Thomas 10-0-35-0, G Popperwell 10-3-37-3, S Bhari 10-2-34-2, G Leathley 7.3-0-41-2, J Stephens 10-4-22-3.

Result: Falmouth (20pts) beat Helston (8pts) by 24 runs.