CORNWALL Over 60s three men’s teams got their respective campaigns underway last Wednesday, all falling to defeat in the Seniors County Championship.

The firsts enjoyed a fine summer last term in Division One South West where they reached the final, and started with a visit from old rivals Gloucestershire to Grampound Road.

The visitors racked up a highly-impressive 290-4 from their 45 overs which included 123 not out from number three James Cotterell.

After openers Ian Robson and Rob Austen departed – lbw to Paul Clements and run out by Stuart Nye respectively – Cotterell was joined by Edward Gordon Lennox (91) as they put on a huge stand of 211 having been 58-2.

None of Cornwall’s main five-man attack went for less than 50, the tidiest being South Petherwin’s Clements (1-50 off 9).

In reply, Rosudgeon’s Damian Cummins produced a superb 157 not out as they eventually finished just 16 short.

The opener batsman faced the first ball and was still there at the end in a 129-ball knock which contained 21 fours and a six.

Unfortunately for the Duchy, the next best were twenties from Stuart Adams (28) and Trevor Lee (20) as they lost wickets throughout.

Adams – batting at number eight – put on 69 in just nine overs, but his departure off the final ball of the 39th over meant 56 were required off the final six as they eventually ended on 274-9.

Cornwall are back in action with a trip to Somerset at Chard on Tuesday, May 12 (midday).

The seconds got their Division Two South West campaign underway with a local derby at home to their Devon counterparts at Veryan, although it was the visitors that won a low-scoring thriller by just one wicket.

Cornwall chose to bat but lost openers Adam Widdison and Jamie Mead early, and although Darren Williams (34) and Robert MacGregor put on 45, they never got away.

Bob Fleming (19) and skipper Martin Orpe got starts, but from 52-2 they slipped to 72-15 and 114-9.

However, the last wicket pairing of Paul Pryzbylski-Garry and Michael Rodwell added 45 to give themselves half a chance.

Rodwell then added to his 21 with a brilliant new ball spell of 3-8 from his nine overs which saw him take three early wickets as Devon slipped to 17-4. Orpe (1-16 off 9) also gave away little.

Survivinh opener Martin Goff then played a remarkable knock of 75 as he gradually upped the gears before departing to Sid Lawrence (3-38) with 27 still required.

It meant Cornwall required two more wickets, one of which arrived to John Dobson with 10 required, however Mark Cowling’s 21 not out from just 15 balls got the job done in support with Paul Bates who had earlier taken 4-26.

The thirds made the long trip up to Birlingham Cricket Club in Worcestershire to take on the home county and were comfortably beaten despite a half century from Werrington’s Nigel Dennis.

Worcestershire chose to bat and despite opening bowlers John Thurston (2-40) and Kevin Gibbard (1-35) having tidy outings, the home side still racked up 250-8.

Needing five and a half runs per over, although Dennis made 89 from 111 balls, runs were hard to come by at the other end before he departed in the 34th over with 136 on the board.

Ian Stevenson (33) and Mickey Martin (21) both got in, but Cornwall closed on 182-7.