WERRINGTON skipper Nick Lawson admitted he was ‘delighted’ as the North Cornwall side got their campaign started in earnest with a convincing 110-run win at Redruth on Saturday in the ECB Cornwall Premier League.

After choosing to bat, the visitors lost in-form Adam Hodgson for six, but eased along to 83-1 before John Moon was bowled by Dom Batchelor for 31.

Vice-skipper Mark Gribble put on 69 with Sri Lankan pro Thulina Dilshan, the latter departing for 35 to a superb caught and bowled from Cornwall off-spinner Ellis Whiteford.

Gribble scored all around the ground for his 74 (98 balls, nine fours, one six), but missed a golden chance for a century when he was bowled off a Harley Stevens full-toss.

County skipper Paul Smith got to 19 before edging Stevens behind, and the same bowler had Ben Smeeth lbw for two.

George Rickard was run-out from point, but Lawson crashed three fours and two sixes in his 35 not out as they mucked their way up to 243-9 against a home side missing former county pro Liam Norwell due to injury.

Werrington still needed early breakthroughs and it was Sam Hockin (2-35 off 8) that provided them.

The seamer bowled Jack Hale before getting the big wicket of Pakistani pro Attyab Ahmad for just 10 who was superbly caught low down at second slip by Smith.

The Whiteford brothers – Ellis and Toby – were still there and cruised along to 81-2 before Ellis belted a catch straight back to Smeeth (3-22 off 10).

Elliot Stoddard soon ran past one to be stumped by Lawson off Adam Hodgson (2-23 off 8), and it was all but game over when the dangerous Whiteford (40) was caught on the leg-side boundary by Rickard.

From there it was a procession as although Connor Poulton battled away for his 24 not out, nobody else reached double figures. Mark Taskis took 2-11 towards the end.

Reflecting on the victory, Lawson said: “I was delighted to get the win as they’ve been a bit of a thorn in our side down there in recent years.

“The wicket didn’t change much throughout, but we did well batting first in pre-season and we like to put a score on the board and then get a couple of early wickets.

“We knew they were a little bit fragile in the middle-order, so to score 243 and then bowl them out for 130-odd was a great effort.

“It was an almost perfect performance although we probably should have got closer to 260 or 270.

“That said, they bowled pretty well in the middle and took wickets at the right time which stopped us putting together one really big partnership which would have got us there.

“With the ball Sam bowled really nicely along with Barny (Dan Barnard), and although the Whitefords put together a partnership to get them into a decent position at 81-2, Benny enticed both of them into big shots and got out, and from there we dominated.”

Werrington face a big test this Saturday when they welcome champions Penzance who were surprisingly beaten by 52 runs by St Just at the weekend.

Lawson concluded: “They’re another team who’ve been a thorn in our side, but obviously have some very, very good players who’ll be looking to silence a few after Saturday. But we’ll just focus on ourselves and see what we can do.”