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11:55 - 23-July-2008
It follows the 160 run win over Wales Minor Counties at Falmouth on Tuesday.
On the final afternoon a Welsh collapse saw their last seven wickets fall for 62 runs with victory claimed 15 minutes before tea.
Cornwall took 23 points and are now in fourth spot, just nine points behind the leaders Cheshire who they play in the last game. Before that Dorset, who are just a point ahead, await at Bournemouth.
Cornwall skipper Tom Sharp was well pleased with his side's performance. He said: “It was a brilliant team effort from start to finish.
“We eradicated our top order batting collapses from previous games and once we had a first innings total it gave the bowlers the opportunity to win the game.”
He added: “It was a genuine team effort and Matt Rowe and Taylor Williams played well on their debuts.
“With a young side you can't afford to drift and have a bad session but we sustained our efforts over the three days.”
Team manager Godfrey Furse was equally pleased. He remarked: “For the first time this season the batsmen applied themselves giving the bowlers time.
“The young newcomers did extremely well and Falmouth Cricket Club also did us proud.”
The two young Cornish players making their debuts were 19-year-old Matthew Rowe of St Austell, and formerly Troon, who took the place of the injured Gary Thomas; and St Austell wicketkeeper Taylor Williams.
Rowe, who is on Gloucestershire's books, follows his father Chris, who played for Cornwall in the early eighties.
Williams might well have created a piece of Cornish history. He took the place of the unavailable Mark Horwell.
Only six days after his 16th birthday, Williams is one of the youngest players, if not possibly the youngest, to represent the full County XI and beats the recent record of Carl Gazzard by 55 days.
After slipping to 110 for four in their first innings, Keith Parsons and Tom Sharp produced a fifth wicket partnership of 154.
Chris Hunkin then gave a positive end to the innings smashing a six and 10 fours in his 67 not out at a run a ball.
In reply, Wales lost half their side for 105 in 34 overs. Wicketkeeper Will Bragg made a useful 35 before being caught behind in Neil Ivamy's second over of day two. When Aneurian Norman disappeared for a duck, the Welsh were in some trouble at 188 for seven at lunch.
Eighteen-year-old Iwan Jenkins, on his debut, and Tudge took their eighth wicket stand to 86 before Tudge gave Harrison his fourth wicket of the innings.
Jenkins hit out in a late flourish and ended on 85 not out to reduce the deficit to only 63. Harrison took four for 112 from 28 overs. Sharp took three for 57 from 26.5 overs but had to leave the field after turning his ankle. He played no further part in the day's proceedings.
In their second innings,
Cornwall's openers Matt Rowe and Ben Smeeth got the Cornish second innings off to a decent start adding 73 before Rowe was lbw to Norman. He showed much promise striking ten boundaries in his 45 off 55 balls. Antony Angove hit 32 as Cornwall reached 134 for one.
Wales fought back however as Tudge accounted for Keith Parsons and O'Shea ended the day getting rid of Ben Smeeth for 62 and Chris Hunkin for two.
Cornwall took a lead of 237 into the final day with five second innings wickets remaining and still some work to do before thoughts of a declaration. In 17 overs, however, a further 108 were added for the loss of Alex Smeeth for 24.
Robins ended on 62 not out hitting ten boundaries off 70 balls and Rob Harrison hit a couple of sixes in his quickfire 21not out. The declaration left Wales 346 in a minimum of 82 overs.
Things went well early on as Clayden and Bragg put on 59. The stand was broken when Bragg was run out coming back for a second run from a direct hit from Antony Angove in the deep. Alex Smeeth then had O'Shea caught by Parsons at slip. Sharp followed up to have Clayden also caught at slip by Parsons. All three wickets fell at 59 but it was another hour after lunch before the fourth wicket fell.
The Welsh skipper Jones and Merilaht added 64 to begin to put the outcome of the match in the balance with around three hours play remaining. Harrison was brought back into the attack from the pavilion end and picked up three quick wickets.
The breakthrough came as Merilaht was caught brilliantly by Sharp, diving in the gully. Two balls later first innings hero Jenkins was trapped lbw and Norman followed in similar fashion eight runs later.
Jones and Tudge looked to be taking the game to the tea interval adding 50 before the last four wickets fell for just four runs.
Hunkin finished the job in successive balls to get rid of the tailenders. Harrison took three for 46 and Hunkin three for 33.
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Matt Rowe watches as the Welsh keeper William Bragg fails to hold onto the ball. Picture by Geoff Hichens.
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