Falmouth might have come a lot closer to reaching the LWC Drinks Premier 40/40 Cup Final then some expected on Saturday.

They went into the game leading Penzance at the top of the group by two points.

With the weather closing in that remained the margin between the sides at tea with both teams taking three bonus points in the first innings.

With Falmouth picking up a couple of second innings bowling points as well effectively an abandonment would have seen Falmouth top the group.

Although 50 of the 69 CCL games around the county failed to complete the weather held out long enough at the Hine downing Oval for Penzance to win by five wickets.

They had to get their skates on however scoring at eight an over to clinch victory inside 20 overs. They will now face Truro in the final at Hayle on Sunday 11th June.

The game was a straight ‘winner takes all’ shoot out to determine the winner of the West group. After being put in Falmouth lost Scott Kellow and Callum Whittaker cheaply before Richard Kellow (40) and Stefan Churcher (18) added 45 for the third wicket. The middle order all made useful contributions with Sean Hooper (21), Harry Roberts (24), Jamie Stephens (15) and George Popperwell (12) all in double figures.

Brad Wadlan took two for 18 from eight overs and Antony Angove two for 42. With a poor forecast Penzance knew they had work to do - and quickly.

Angove made 22, Wadlan 33 and Christian Purchase 34 off just 16 balls that included three sixes as the visitors go to 97 before losing their second wicket. Greg Smith’s unbeaten 44 off 34 balls guided them home in the twentieth over. Scott Kellow picked up three wickets, albeit for 66 runs.

There was one each for Popperwell and the new South African slow left armer Eric Osner.

The sides meet again on Saturday with the start of the ECB Cornwall Premier League with the 50/50 match starting at St Clare at 1pm.

FALMOUTH

R Kellow lbw b Smith 40

S Kellow b Angove 8

C Whittaker lbw b Wadlan 2

S Churcher ct & b Angove 18

S Hooper b Wadlan 21

H Roberts run out (Wadlan) 24

J Stephens run out (Smith) 15

G Popperwell st James b Kent 12

A Robinson b Pobega 0

S O’Nyons not out 1

Extras 22

Total (9 wkts, 40 overs) 166

Fall: 118; 2-29; 3-74; 4-85; 5-115; 6-144; 7-155; 8-163; 9-165.

Bowling: Angove 8-0-42-2, Kent 4-0-30-1, Wadlan 8-0-18-2, N Pobega 7-0-30-1, Smith 8-1 -23-1, Fletcher 5-0-17-0

PENZANCE

B Wadlan ct Robinson b Osner 33

A Angove ct Roberts b S Kellow 22

C Purchase ct Stephens b S Kellow 34

G Smith not out 44

J Fletcher b S Kellow 3

J Paull ct Whittaker b Popperwell 17

K Collins not out 4

Extras 10

Total (5 wkts, 19.4 overs) 167

Fall: 1-53; 2-97; 3-99; 4-116; 5-155;

Did not bat P Kent, C James, C Hoskings

Bowling: G Popperwell 5-0-37-1, J Stephens 1-0-16-0, S Kellow 7-0-66-3, S Churcher 1-0-13-0, E Osner 5.4-0-33-1.

Result: Penzance (19 pts) beat Falmouth (5pts) by five wickets.