Cornwall's cricketers left East Challow last night with a spring in their step, after winning their MCCA Trophy game against Oxfordshire by 16 runs.
They move on to Cople today to take on Bedfordshire, with qualification hopes very much in their own hands.
Hertfordshire beat Bedfordshire yesterday to complete their programme and qualify. A win today and Cornwall will join them on six points, assuring a quarter-final berth.
If Cornwall lose, then Oxfordshire and Devon, if they beat Bedfordshire at Dunstable next week, will come into the equation with net run rate the decisive factor.
Cornwall went into the weekend with an inferior rate to the others. Oxfordshire needed 227 yesterday and they looked on track when opener Damien Shirazi made 85. Crucially he was dismissed by Matt Robins at 148-4 with ten overs remaining.
The target got reduced to 40 off five overs with six wickets still intact.
Something special was needed by the Cornish bowlers and Sam Hockin and Tom Sharp provided it.
They ran through the lower order as the hosts lost their last six wickets for just 21 runs.
Sharp took five for 29, only the fifth Cornish bowler to take five wickets in the competition. Hockin, who had earlier got rid of opener Richard Kaufman for 11, took three for 30 from ten overs.
Cornwall, who had been put in, got off to an uncertain start losing Robins, Dan Davis and Taylor Williams with only 58 on the board.
Neil Curnow hit a six and eight fours in his 41 but when he and Jake Libby (45) both went at 122-5 Cornwall had plenty to do.
Just as he did at Redruth last week, Chris Hunkin came to the rescue. He was out just before the 226-8 close having hit 53.
Rob Harrison (28no) added some late impetus as the pair added a record eighth wicket stand of 56 for Cornwall in the competition.
How valuable a contribution it was to prove.
