CORNWALL Women continued their impressive start to the 2018 50-over Championship season by beating Wiltshire at Newquay on Sunday.

Cornwall were inserted, but neither of the openers, Caitlin Burnett or Ellie Mitchell, were much troubled by the Wiltshire bowlers, though Mitchell was dropped once at cover fairly early on.

The pair took their record partnership to exactly 300 before Burnett was run out on 93 but Mitchell sailed serenely on and reached three figures at nearly a run a ball. She ended the innings on 158 not out and the score 326-1.

A weakened Wiltshire could only hope for a respectable reply, but Joleigh Roberts made the breakthrough by bowling Ellie Thompson and with Emily Geach and Kellie Williams each taking a wicket Wiltshire were reduced to 28-3.

Some fight was then shown by the Wiltshire middle order, although runs continued to be hard to come by. However, the return to the attack of off-spinner Charlotte Phillips and the introduction of Lucie Oakley brought a quick end to the visitors innings as they fell from 40-3 to 50 all out.

This was another impressive display from the Cornwall Women who have started their season with three straight victories which leaves them top of their division.

Cornwall - 326 for 1 (E Mitchell 158*, C Burnett 93), Wiltshire 50; Cornwall won by 276 runs.

The ladies started their season at Launceston on Sunday, May 6, with a game against the Netherlands. The home side batted first and openers Caitlin Burnett and Ellie Mitchell made steady progress.

That progress was halted on 51 when Burnett was lbw to De Fouw for 12 but Mitchell continued to develop decent partnerships with both Amber Cummins and Sophie Richards before she was bowled by De Fouw for 49.

Debutant Rebecca Odgers brought the innings to life, scoring 39 off just 42 balls to help bring the innings to a close on 189-8.

The Netherlands began with intent and at 73-2 probably held the upper hand but Cornwall kept working and held the catches that eventually turned the game.

Burnett, Odgers, Sophie Richards and Captain Kellie Williams all took excellent catches that reduced the visitors to 114-7 and although some resistance was shown by the Netherlands lower order they were eventually bowled out for 139.

Cornwall 189 for 8 (E Mitchell 49, R Odgers 39, S Richards 25), Netherlands 139 (J Roberts 2-33, C Phillips 2-20, K Williams 4-14); Cornwall won by 50 runs.

The home team moved on to St Gluvias on Monday, May 7, for a game against Dorset who had lost to Wiltshire the day before and it was to prove a game of many firsts.

Fourteen-year old Emily Geach, of Boconnoc CC, made her debut in place of Joleigh Roberts.

Cornwall again lost the toss but, on a much firmer deck, were delighted to be asked to bat first. Batting proved to be more difficult for the Cornwall top order as they slipped to 42-4.

However Sophie Richards and Bex Odgers put together a superb fifth wicket partnership of 195 as the Dorset attack wilted in the heat.

Odgers finally ended on 122 from just 97 deliveries - her first century and, it is believed, the first by a Cornwall player in the Championship.

Richards’ innings of 62 was just as important to the team. It was also her first half century for Cornwall and a very special moment for her personally.

Such a big score was always going to prove a difficult challenge for the visitors and so it proved, with the Dorset innings folding on a paltry 33 all out.

Cornwall 280 for 6 (R Odgers 122, S Richards 65), Dorset 33 (C Phillips 5-15, K Williams 3-14, L Oakley 1-2); Cornwall won by 247 runs.

  • Cornwall's next match is at Falmouth on Sunday against a Netherlands side looking to avenge their opening-day defeat.