Cornwall Super 9s Disability Cricket Team secured their first victory of the season during a challenging away fixture against Somerset Disability Super 9s at Ilton CC. This match marked an important milestone in their second competitive season, as the team delivered a strong and determined performance on unfamiliar ground. 

On a beautiful yet windy day, Cornwall's captain Josh Raven lost the toss, and the team was put into bat. Openers James Perry and Ben Mailes laid a solid foundation, with Perry playing confidently before being bowled by Somerset's Cameron Harris for 30 runs. His dismissal brought an end to an impressive 74-run opening partnership that set the tone for Cornwall’s innings. Demonstrating the progress they’ve made since their debut campaign, the Cornwall side played with cohesion and determination. 

Cornwall continued to build their innings with Giles Francis joining Ben Mailes at the crease. With the score at 117, Ben Mailes was unfortunately given out LBW to Cameron Harris after a well-played 17 runs. The departure of Ben brought Brendon Prouse to the crease, and runs quickly flowed with Giles Francis, building an 84-run partnership before Giles retired on 50 and Brendon was bowled by Colin Hancock.

Mark Stevens, making his debut, and Daniel Herriott then came in to bat, continuing the rapid scoring until Mark was brilliantly caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Tom Haddell off Colin Hancock's bowling. With only two balls left in the innings, Daniel Herriott was run out by George Fox Dean, bringing Captain Josh to the crease. Despite attempting a big hit, Josh managed only a single off the last ball, setting an impressive total of 239-5 for Cornwall.

After the tea break, Somerset began their chase with Kris Martin and Wilf Stirzaker. Similar to Cornwall, Somerset had a strong start, forming a 70-run opening partnership before Wilf Stirzaker fell LBW to Giles Francis for 12. This brought Cameron Harris to the crease, but his innings was short-lived as Giles bowled him out after just three balls.

Somerset's middle order batted well, keeping pace with the run rate, aided by a few extras, which made the last 15 overs tense and the game open to either side. However, brilliant spells from Josh Raven and Giles Francis began to shift momentum in Cornwall's favour. After the final drinks break, Daniel Herriott came on to bowl, and with his very first delivery, Dexter Adams hit one straight back to him, completing a caught and bowled. As the required run rate climbed, Somerset began to lose wickets, with Giles taking one more and Daniel Herriott adding two more to his tally. Archie Ball and Josh Raven bowled the final overs, sealing Cornwall's first victory.

Standout bowling performances came from Daniel (3-13), Giles Francis (3-20), and Josh Raven, who bowled 7 overs for 1-22. A special mention to Mark Stevens for a commendable debut, bowling 5 overs and contributing with the bat.

We greatly appreciate the fantastic support from friends, families, and carers at Ilton CC. 

The win is a significant boost and sets a positive tone for the rest of the season. The Cornwall Super 9s now look forward to their next away match against Dorset on July 6th.