St Just 194 [8pts] lost to Falmouth 196-9 [20pts] by one wicket

Falmouth secured a narrow one-wicket win in the final over to see off second-placed St Just in the Premier Division on Saturday.

The win is Falmouth’s third in a row and while St Just slip to fourth.

The Premier Division is remarkably tight with just 18 points separating leaders Penzance from St Austell in seventh place with only nine matches left.

St Just won the toss and chose to bat, with openers Ross Pawson (14) and Kameron Collins (15) reaching 39 before the former was bowled by Louis Rudin.

Collins followed after being caught and bowled by Oliver Paull, before Neil Curnow (6) joined him soon after when he was caught by Richard Kellow.

An inauspicious start was rescued by Daniel Lello, who hit 50 to steer his side back on course before he was caught by Scott Kellow off Richard Kellow’s delivery, who took 3-43.

Justin Stephens (13) and Ben Brooks (2) fell during Lello’s time at the crease, with Gavin Edwards (21) the only other to score above 20 as the hosts reached 194.

Grant Stone (11) and Kieran Rodda (13) began the visitors’ reply but Gareth May caught both with Harry Roberts (11) following.

Much like Lello had done for the hosts, Scott Kellow came in and top-scored for the day with 61 off 45 balls.

Paull added 32 with Stephens adding 33 not out as Falmouth reached their target with just five balls left.

Fall of wickets (St Just): 39-1 R Pawson (K Collins*); 58-2 K Collins (N Curnow*); 58-3 N Curnow (D Lello*); 97-4 J Stephens (D Lello*); 123-5 B Brooks (D Lello*); 155-6 D Lello (G Edwards*); 159-7 G Edwards (G May*); 178-8 P Nicholas (G May*); 180-9 G May (S Harvey*); 194-10 S Harvey (C Donnelly*).

Fall of wickets (Falmouth): 31-1 G Stone (K Rodda*); 33-2 K Rodda (H Roberts*); 64-3 H Roberts (S Kellow*); 79-4 S Churcher (S Kellow*); 94-5 R Kellow (S Kellow*); 122-6 S Kellow (O Paull*); 163-7 O Paull (J Stephens*); 169-8 L Rudin (J Stephens*); 187-9 J Richards (J Stephens*).