FALMOUTH kept themselves in contention in the Cornwall Premier League on Saturday with a 45 run victory over Newquay, writes Michael Weeks.

They won their fifth game of the season and currently occupy sixth position in the table.

However they are only 29 points behind the leaders Truro, in one of the most closely contested title races for years.

Falmouth are without a game this weekend as they were due to visit Camborne but, along with the rest of Saturday’s Premier League programme, it will now be played on Sunday 23rd August.

It is to allow Cornwall’s cricketers the day off to travel to Hertfordshire for Sunday’s big Unicorns Trophy semi-final at Harpenden.

Falmouth were missing Callum Whittaker and Guy Leathley last weekend.

With skipper Sean Hooper still on the injury list Harry Roberts and Jordan Thomas were promoted up the order to open the innings.

They put on a useful 28 before Roberts was LBW to Richard Spall and Kieran Rodda followed for ten to the same bowler.

Thomas went on to make made 31 before being caught off Godfrey Stevens and then the introduction of spin made life more difficult for the home batsmen.

Stefan Churcher made 19 but was bowled by Tom Eggins, Antony Angove was leg before to the same man for a duck and when Duncan Ayres went in similar fashion, it was 103-6.

Christian Purchase hit 36 before being bowled by Joe Crane and the last four wickets fell for 19 runs to leave 11 overs unused with three wickets each for Spall, Eggins and Crane, who ended with three for eight from four overs.

Glyn Furnival made two early strikes to get rid of Crane and Michael Harding with only seven on the board.

Only Godfrey Stevens, 21, and Adam Cocking, 30, got double figures in Newquay’s 105.

They reached 79-3 before the last seven wickets fell for only 26 runs as victory came with 23 overs to spare.

Angove took four for nine from 8.5 overs and Thomas only conceded 16 runs in 11 overs and got two late wickets.