WT EDWARDS CUP FINAL AT TRURO CC (THURSDAY)

Callington v Penzance

CALLINGTON’S 24-year wait to be crowned T20 champions of Cornwall continues as Penzance cruised to an eight-wicket victory in the WT Edwards Cup final at Truro.

Callington made a competitive 149-5, but the St Clare club’s powerful batting line-up had no trouble knocking it off in just 17.4 overs.

After winning all three of their games to win the eastern section Hawkey Cup by batting first, the Greens chose to make first use of an excellent Boscawen Park pitch.

After a couple of tight opening overs, opener Aidan Libby lit the touch paper on the innings as he smacked Dan Lello for a huge six into the trees, before hitting a six and a four off Giles Lawrence’s next over.

But having reached 34-0 after four, Libby (22 off 9) was bowled by Andrew Libby’s first ball looking to cut.

That over brought just a single, and the next four brought just 21 as Kian Burns (32) and South African Liam Lindsay found the going tough against some fine bowling.

Lindsay broke the shackles somewhat in the tenth over as twice ramped Tom Dinnis for four, but Burns’ 35-ball knock was over in the 11th when he picked out skipper Ben Seabrook at point (75-2) off Jonny Ludlam (1-22).

Just 23 came off the next four meaning with five overs to go they had got to just 98-2.

Pro Graham Wagg wasn’t fully fit and went for 13, stumped off Libby who then trapped Matt Shepherd lbw first ball. The left-arm spinner finished with 3-15 from his four.

Dinnis’ pace was brought back for the 17th over and it sparked Cally back into life as new man Ollie Allsop (19no off 13) struck a boundary through the off-side before Lindsay nailed his first maximum.

Twelve came off the 18th bowled by Lello, before the penultimate from Dinnis yielded just seven.

Cally needed a big finish to get up towards 150 and they achieved it as Lindsay (59 off 44) plonked a six and a four to reach a fine 50, before he was bowled off the penultimate ball by Lello (1-40).

Skipper for the night Luke Brenton scrambled a two to reach 149-5.

Penzance openers Christian Purchase and Ben Seabrook strolled out and broke the back of the chase in the powerplay.

After eight came off the first over bowled by Ben Ellis, Seabrook nonchalantly plonked Wagg’s first ball over cover for six.

He scored runs around the wicket at will while Purchase got going in the third by taking Ellis for ten, including a six over long-on as they eased to 36-0 after three.

Fifteen came off the next two bowled by Wagg and Lindsay before Aidan Libby was brought on for the final over of the powerplay.

The first ball outside off-stump was dispatched over the cover boundary by Seabrook, but he was out next ball for 36 from just 19 balls when he sliced a slower ball to Ben Ellis at short third-man.

New man Dylan Blignaut got going with back-to-back boundaries off Harry Sawyers before Lindsay was pummelled for consecutive sixes by Purchase, the first hitting the top of the nets.

Purchase departed off the first ball of the 11th over when he skied a caught and bowled to Ellis, but and Grant Stone kept their cool.

The two South African born batsmen accumulated runs at will without offering a chance until the dying stages.

Blignaut was 42 not out from 38 deliveries with Stone unbeaten on 34.

Penzance now progress to the South West Area T20 Finals Day at Bridgwater on Sunday, August 4.