Cricket starts under blue skies as Penzance are beaten by St Austell

THE Bond Timber Cornwall Cricket League season began under blue skies and the warmest May Bank Holiday Saturday for years.

- by MICHAEL WEEKS

The Premier Division got off to a dramatic start with champions Penzance losing at St Austell for the third successive season in the Premier, to add to an Edwards Cup Final defeat.

After conceding a six-run penalty due to a slow over-rate, Penzance lost the game by just three runs. Sensationally, they lost their last four wickets for 11 runs.

Adam Snowdon took the final two wickets in successive balls with two overs to spare. Earlier debutants Nic Halstaed-Cleak (40) and Charlie Sharland (43) made promising starts.

St Austell were 95-5 but new skipper Alex Bone made an unbeaten 79 and added 100 for the sixth wicket with brother Gary, who made 58, to get the total to 222-7. Tom Dinnis took 3-41.

Redruth and Wadebridge are the early-season leaders after taking maximum points.

At Redruth Premier history was probably made with St Just fielding a team that included four fathers and sons.