CALLINGTON’S director of cricket Joe White is adamant the batsmen must ‘step up’ as the Greens fell further into trouble on Saturday with a two-run defeat to fellow strugglers St Just in the ECB Cornwall Premier League.

Despite seeing star seamer Mohammed Danyaal pull up with a back injury just two balls into the match, the brilliance of opening partner Ben Ellis saw the Cornwall seamer single-handedly reduce the Penwith outfit to 48-6 with only Neil Curnow (18) reaching double figures.

The visitors did manage to scrape up to 100 before being dismissed thanks to 21 from Sri Lankan Chami Edirisinghe, 13 from Logan Curnow and a what proved to be vital 17-run stand between the last wicket pairing of Ben Stevens (4no) and Joe Clifton-Griffith (8).

Xavie Clarke took 3-18 from seven overs before Max Tryfonos got the final wicket.

Cally lost James Brenton and South African Liam Lindsay with just four on the board, but eased their way to 46-2 before skipper Graham Wagg, who had made 28 from 27 balls, whipped a delivery from Ellis May to Stevens at mid-wicket.

Seventeen-year-old Logan Curnow (2-20 off 4) had Tryfonos and Clarke caught behind by Rhys Brownfield, before May worked his way through the lower order as they collapsed to 59-7.

Ben Allsop struck 17 from 11 and wicketkeeper White hung around for two before both fell to May who ended with 5-19 from his six overs.

Off-spinner Lewis Stephens was introduced with five required with Ellis and the injured Danyaal at the crease, but following three wides, he won the game off the fifth legal ball as Ellis picked out Justin Stephens at mid-off.

White admitted the batting wasn’t good enough as they prepare for Saturday’s home game with fourth-placed Redruth just nine points above bottom side Grampound Road with seven games remaining.

He said: “Our bowlers were excellent and although Danny went down injured second ball, Ben Ellis stepped up brilliantly with an incredible spell and took some-much needed wickets.

“But unfortunately we couldn’t back it up with the bat and once again struggled.

“I feel like I’m repeating myself yet again with this, but we need to apply ourselves better with the bat and hopefully we can do that this weekend.

“We know we have good players, but we’ve got to find a way to ensure we aren’t losing wickets in clusters.”