Cornwall’s county cricket team have reached the Unicorns Knock Out Trophy semi-finals for only the second time in the 33 year history of the competition.

They got revenge for a defeat against Berkshire in the quarter-finals two years ago with an excellent seven wicket win, at Truro, on Sunday. They will now play Hertfordshire in the semi-final, at Harpenden, on Sunday August 26.

Berkshire were restricted to 174. The home side won in style thanks to superb innings by Matt Rowe and Falmouth’s Antony Angove. They were both capped at the conclusion of the game by Club Chairman Michael Williams in a ceremony on the Boscawen Park outfield.

Matt Robins had won the toss on a cloudy morning and elected to field, though it was not an easy decision. When Simon Macey (37) and Michael Roberts, who has played for Hampshire, took the total to 85 for one in the 22nd over a 200 plus target looked well on the cards.

Cornwall played to the conditions however and stuck to a plan that only saw ten overs of seam, shared by Callum Wilson and Kelvin Snell. The slow bowlers Christian Purchase (three for 35), Brad Wadlan (two for 31), Matt Robins (one for 32) and Matt Rowe (two for 34) strangled the middle and lower order. Roberts was fifth out, lbw to Rowe for 51, and there was little to come after. In fact the visitors lost their last seven wickets for 32 runs to be bowled out for 174, with nine balls unused.

In a Cornish line up which bats right down the order, Tom Hughes was selected to open with Rowe. He did a reasonable job to get 31 on the board in ten overs before being bowled by seamer Tom Nugent.

Rowe and Angove then set Cornwall on their way adding 57 for the second wicket before Rowe was lbw to the former Middlesex slow left armer Chris Peploe for 46. Wadlan hit three boundaries in his 14 before being bowled by Harry Stephens.

Scott Harvey, on his home ground, and Angove (73 not out) then combined in an unbroken stand of 62 to clinch victory with over ten overs to spare. The big hitters Purchase, Paul Smith, Neil Curnow and Snell, along with skipper Robins, were surplus to requirements.

Cornwall take on Devon on Sunday in a Unicorns Championship three-day game at Truro.. They have made one change with Falmouth’s Glyn Furnival returning to the team and replacing Callum Wilson.

Truro – Berkshire 174 (MD Roberts 51, SJ Macey 37; CBF Purchase 3-35, BL Wadlan 2-31, MH Rowe 2-34), Cornwall 177-3 (AD Angove 73no, MH Rowe 46, SA Harvey 22no). Cornwall beat Berkshire by seven wickets.