COUNTIES CRICKET Cornwall clinch promotion

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Created on Wednesday, 16 August 2023 07:41

Last Updated on Sunday, 20 July 2025 07:51

Published on Wednesday, 16 August 2023 07:41

Written by PAUL BOLTON National Counties Cricket correspondent

Cornwall clinched promotion to the top-flight of the Durant Cricket National Counties Championship by winning the Western Division Two title following a draw against Wales NC at Abergavenny. 

Cornwall sit out this weekend’s final round of matches but yesterday's nine points were enough to confirm top spot and deny Wales and both Wiltshire and Dorset – who drew at the South Wilts club in Salisbury – the opportunity to overtake them. 

Wales were always in control at Abergavenny where they had a first innings lead of 101 and added 149 more before they declared with player/coach Brad Wadland following up his first innings century with a half-century. 

Cornwall were happy to play for the draw which they achieved with comfort thanks to Max Tryfonos (70 not out) and Adam Hodgson (41) who added 85 for the second wicket. 

Who Cornwall will replace in Western Division One has yet to be decided with only Berkshire mathematically safe going into the final round of matches. 

Berkshire completed their divisional programme by beating Herefordshire by 131 runs at Eastnor which gave them their first win of the campaign and a seven points lead at the top of the division. 

But Berkshire now need Cheshire to do them a favour by beating Oxfordshire at Banbury if they are to stay top and progress to next month’s final at West Bromwich Dartmouth. 

Opening batter Jonny Connell and slow left-armer Luke Beaven were Berkshire’s match-winners at Eastnor where they dismissed the hosts for 76, their second-lowest Championship total. Their lowest – 49 – was made against Berkshire at Colwall four years ago. 

Connell followed up his first innings 95 with 94 in more than four hours with Toby Greatwood (35) again joining him in a match-turning partnership. 

They added 92 for the seventh wicket which helped Berkshire recover from 86 for six to 225 all out. 

Herefordshire seamer James Rudge took his second five wicket haul to finish with career-best match figures of ten for 111 but he was soon eclipsed by Beaven who took the new ball. 

Beaven made short work of Herefordshire to finish with career-best figure of seven for 21 and a match haul of 13 for 67, Berkshire’s best against Herefordshire and their best against any county in 70 years. 

Devon improved their chances of staying in the top-flight by beating Cheshire by 34 runs at Chester Boughton Hall where a declaration followed by a forfeiture produced a positive outcome from a rain-affected contest. 

Cheshire’s declaration at 73 for three was immediately followed by Devon’s forfeiture of their second innings which left Cheshire with a target of 351. 

Devon appeared to be coasting home when they reduced Cheshire to 114 for six with seamer Matt Skeemer inflicting the damage on his way to a maiden five wicket haul and final figures of six for 41. 

But a maiden century from Alex Money and 67 not out from captain David Wainwright rebuilt the innings and made Devon wait until deep into the final session before they secured an important win. 

Money and Wainwright added 132 for the seventh wicket with Wainwright and Sam Grant putting on 48 for the last wicket before Grant was taken at slip off slow left-armer Max Shepherd. 

There was a maiden century for Wiltshire opener Dylan Church against Dorset before the sides shook hands at South Wilts having tried hard to conjure a positive outcome to a rain-hit match. 

A tame draw appeared inevitable until Wiltshire declared their first innings 133 behind and then used Tom Cullen and Jack Stearman, who had never bowled in the competition before, to serve up seven overs of declaration bowling. 

Dorset helped themselves to 118 for two in that time before they declared and challenged Wiltshire to chase 252. 

An opening stand of 87 between Church and Jack Mynott (43) but the loss of three wickets for six runs to Ed Bartlett de-railed the chase. 

Church completed his century from 138 balls in an unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 101 with Jake Goodwin.

Durant Cricket National Counties Championship 

Final day of three 

Eastern Division One 

Horsford: Suffolk 209 (Jack Beaumont 89, George Rhodes 50, Ryan Findlay 5-57) & 156 (Jack Beaumont 62, Brett Stolworthy 5-47), Norfolk 186 (Ryan Findlay 67) & 166 (Tom New 53). Suffolk (21pts) beat Norfolk (5pts) by 13 runs.
Checkley: Lincolnshire 281 (Tom Keast 93, Ben Wright 50, Tom Brett 7-93) & 117-8, Staffordshire 325-7 dec (Michael Hill 95, James Kettleborough 74, Zen Malik 67). Staffordshire (12pts) drew with Lincolnshire (10pts). 

Western Division One  

Chester Boughton Hall: Devon 423-9 (James Horler 165, Steve Green 5-99) & second innings forfeited, Cheshire 73-3 dec & 316 (Alex Money 102, David Wainwright 67 not out, Matt Skeemer 6-41). Devon (21pts) beat Cheshire (4pts) by 34 runs.
Eastnor: Berkshire 210 (Johnny Connell 95, James Rudge 5-57) & 225 (Johnny Connell 94, James Rudge 5-54), Herefordshire 228 (Ben Chapman-Lilley 91, Luke Beaven 6-46) & 76 (Luke Beaven 7-21). Berkshire (21pts) beat Herefordshire (6pts) by 131 runs. 

Eastern Division Two 

Carlisle: Cumbria 169 (Freddie Fallows 51, Oli McGee 5-59) & 232-6 dec (Sam Dutton 106 not out), Northumberland 261 (John Oswell 71, Michael Slack 5-61) & 141-5 (John Oswell 78). Northumberland (22pts) beat Cumbria (4pts) by five wickets.
Hertford: Hertfordshire 365-5 (Dominic Chatfield 132, David Burnell 97, Arjun Patel 66 not out) & 291-5 dec (Jamie Southgate 57, David Burnell 54, James Latham 53), Cambridgeshire 321-9 (Will Routledge 68, Dan Andrew 56, Ben Clilverd 53 not out, Andrew Neal 5-92) & 272 (Callum Guest 77). Hertfordshire (24pts) beat Cambridgeshire (5pts) by 63 runs. 

Western Division Two 

Abergavenny: Wales NC 352-7 (Harry Friend 120, Brad Wadlan 102) & 149-4 dec (Brad Wadlan 56 not out), Cornwall 251 (Tommy Sturgess 61, George Pritchard 5-56) & 145-3 (Max Tryfonos 70 not out). Wales NC (12pts) drew with Cornwall (9pts).
South Wilts CC: Dorset 391-9 dec (Sam Young 177, Alex Eckland 96) & 118-2 dec (Jacob Gordon 66 not out), Wiltshire 258-7 dec (Harry Broderick 56 not out) & 223-4 (Dylan Church 102 not out, Jake Goodwin 61 not out). Wiltshire (10pts) drew with Dorset (11pts). 

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