Falmouth will finish bottom of the Premier League for the first time after they suffered a 145-run defeat at St Austell in their penultimate game of the season.

The battle between Falmouth and Callington to avoid finishing bottom and suffer potential relegation from the Premier looked set to go to the wire when the teams meet on the final day next weekend, but Callington pulled off a two-wicket win at Wadebridge to secure their top-flight status.

Falmouth will drop down to County Division 1 next season should this year's champions Camborne opt to make a return to the Premier after a one-season absence.

Falmouth lost their 16th game in 17 league matches this year with a comprehensive defeat at St Austell, falling 145 runs short of their 266-4 total.

Hugh Parkinson got St Austell off to a great start with 79 before he was bowled by Richard Kellow, with the hosts at 168 by that point with James Carter making 53 of his 65 alongside Parkinson.

Carter was soon lbw off Kellow's ball before Scott Barrott was caught by Duncan Ayres off Steven Redwood's ball for eight.

Matt Ellison made 27 before he was dismissed, while Alex Bone's 45 not out took the hosts past the 250 mark before the end of their innings.

Grant Stone (5) was an early casualty in Falmouth's reply as he became the first of Liam Watson's six victims. Scott Kellow made a second-highest innings score of 19 before he departed, with Harry Roberts (2) also falling to Watson.

Richard Kellow fell for four before Duncan Ayres and Oliver Paull were both dismissed by Watson for ducks as Falmouth reached 56-6.

The visitors' woe continued with Joe Harrington (4) and James Williamson becoming Watson's final victims, and while Aidan Carter made 18 and Stefan Churcher top-scored with 35 not out, Redwood's dismissal for a duck brought an end to the match.

Fall (St Austell): 168-1 H Parkinson (J Carter-53*); 183-2 J Carter (A Bone-1*); 203-3 S Barrott (A Bone-12*); 254-4 M Ellison (A Bone-33*).

Fall (Falmouth): 8-1 G Stone (S Kellow-3*); 36-2 S Kellow (H Roberts-2*); 37-3 H Roberts (R Kellow-0*); 48-4 R Kellow (S Churcher-2*); 55-5 D Ayres (S Churcher-9*); 56-6 O Paull (S Churcher-9*); 60-7 J Harrington (S Churcher-9*); 84-8 J Williamson (S Churcher-21*); 119-9 A Carter (S Churcher-35*); 121-10 S Redwood (S Churcher-35*).