HELSTON moved to the top of Division 2 West as they beat the rain and visitors Truro II by five wickets at Beacon Park on Saturday, writes John Martin.
Although Helston only took 17 points from the match, it was enough to take them seven points clear of Falmouth II whose home game against was called off without a ball being bowled due to the heavy rain.
Showers
In fact only one other game in the Division was played to a finish and on an afternoon of intermittent showers, some of which were heavy, both sides are to be congratulated for continuing to play and provide some good quality cricket.
After winning the toss Helston not surprisingly decided to bowl first.
The pitch did not really help the bowlers and things were equally difficult for the batsmen who struggled to get the ball away.
Truro began with slow but steady batting scoring at just runs per over from the first 24, though they only lost the wicket of Stuart McNair for six off the bowling of Dan Jenkin with the score on 28 with fellow opener Julian Bose batting well.
A stand of 96 with Truro skipper Mark Adams followed, until Bose was caught for 67 by Mark Jenkin off the bowling of Dan Jenkin.
Tom Retallack then removed Adams, bowled for 54 and Marc Lewis caught by Dan Jenkin for 11 to leave Truro on 148 for four.
Dismissed
Dan Jenkin dismissed the dangerous Simon Grant for four to leave the visitors at 154 for five, before Tom Collinge and Mark Thomas took the score to 173 when the innings closed.
Dan Jenkin finished with three for 43 off 11 overs and Tom Retallack, in his first full spell since returning from University, had two for 31 off 12 overs, including five maidens.
Helston's reply also began slowly and they lost last week's centurion Stuart Pethick for 13 with the score on 38
Chris Martin joined Dan Jenkin and the score progressed to 103 before Jenkin was given out stumped for 59. Mark Thomas was next in but ran himself out for a duck and Josh Ninnis departed for two, bowled by Bose, to leave Helston on 110 for four and leaving the game in the balance.
Steve Jenkin joined Martin and batted sensibly in a stand of 55 before he was bowled by Chris Pell for 23.
Martin in the meantime had passed the 50 mark and he and Steve Hosking saw their team home without any more hiccups with 7.3 overs remaining. Martin finished on 63 not out in a five wicket win for the hosts to keep them on course for a return to County One.
Truro II 173-5 (J Bose 67, M Adams 54; D Jenkin 3-43, T Retallack 2-31).
Helston 174-5 (C Martin 63no, D Jenkin 59, S Jenkin 23; C Pell 2-27, J Bose 2-51).
Helston (17pts) bt Truro (6) by five wkts.
This Saturday Helston visit fifth-placed St Gluvias for the last game of the first half of the season which has so far seen them suffer just two league defeats.
St Day 127-9. Helston II 42-5. rsp.
Helston's Division 5 visit to St Day was eventually abandoned due to rain with the visitors probably saved from defeat.
Helston won the toss and put their hosts in to bat and restricted them to 127 for nine off their 40 overs.
Arron Burrows top scored with 44 and Liam Bray 19, Kevin Jones 18, Paul Cannon 16 and Chris Jones with 15 were the main contributors.
Bowling for Helston, Dave Retallack took three for 29 off 10, Jason Crocker two for 19 off 10, including four maidens and Ross Leathley two for 46 off his 10 overs.
Helston's innings ended after 21.4 overs with the visitors struggling at 42 for five wickets. Ross Leathley and Phil Treloar both scored 15.
St Day 127-9 (A Burrows 44; D Retallack 3-29, J Crocker 2-19, R Leathley 2-46).
Helston II 42-5 (G Jones 4-5). Rain stopped play.
Match abandoned. St Day 11pts, Helston 11.
