Penzance win the 2026 Bradleys Vinter Cup
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Wednesday 8 July 2026
Camborne – Helston 174 (B Taylor 45, J Mitchell 38, S Jenkin 25; G Thomson 2-29, W Moore 2-33, B Fletcher 2-36) lost to
Penzance 174-4 (18.2) (S King 90no, C Purchase 25, G Thomson 23no) by six wickets..
'Bill Bosanko' Player of the Match Sammy King
The 85th Final and the 10th successive for sponsors Bradleys Estate Agents.
Competition Wins – St Just 20, Penzance 19, Truro 9. Falmouth 8, Troon 7, Camborne 7
Most Finals - Penzance 32, St Just 30, Falmouth 22, Truro 17, Troon 15, Camborne 13
Umpires - Mark Atkins & Mark Richards
Scorers - Debbie Jenkin & Nina Pentecost
'Bill Bosanko' Player of the Match Adjudicator - CACO
Match Stats
173 & 174 runs - The 5th & 6th Highest Final Scores
174 runs Penzance - The Highest Successful Run Chase
173 runs Helston - The Highest Losing Score
347 runs - The Third Highest Match Aggregate
A record 10th Successive Penzance Final
90no Sammy King - The second highest Individual Score
Penzance won the Bradleys Vinter Cup for the 19th time, defeating Helston at a sun-drenched Camborne by six wickets.
However, they had to set a record run chase after a spirited Helston team made 173 all out.
Penzance won with four wickets and 10 balls to spare.
Player of the match was Sammy King who made 90 not out.
Penzance will now play Callington in the WT Edwards Cup Final at Truro on Thursday, 16 July
Match Report Cornish Times
FORMER Nottinghamshire opener Sammy King made a superb unbeaten 90 as Penzance secured a 19th Vinter Cup crown with a six-wicket success over Helston at Camborne on Wednesday night.
King, who had already struck 151 against Falmouth and 50 off just 20 balls against St Just in the semi-final, hammered the bowling to all parts of Warrior Park as the St Clare outfit reached their target of 174 with 10 balls to spare to set up a mouthwatering WT Edwards Cup showpiece with Callington at Truro on Thursday night (July 16, 6pm).
The winners will represent Cornwall in the Vitality Club T20 South West Area Finals Day at Bridgwater on Sunday, August 9.
Helston were appearing in their fifth final – and their first in five years – but the Blues got off to a fine start after choosing to bat via Australian Jayden Mitchell, this despite the early departure of Mark Jenkin to Ben Fletcher for one.
Skipper Dan Jenkin made nine before being bowled by Jonny Ludlam, but Mitchell raced to 38 from 18 balls before being caught by Charlie Sharland off left-arm spinner Charlie Hearn.
Pick of the bowlers was off-spinner Ollie Rayner who conceded just 22 from his four overs, while Fletcher (2-36 off 4), Moore (2-33 off 4) and Thomson (2-29 off 3) got some reward.
Bar last year’s shock defeat to neighbours St Just, Penzance had won the previous seven finals, albeit 2022 was later given to St Just due to fielding an ineligible player, and once again they timed their chase to perfection, the highest successful one in a Vinter Cup final.
Basil Akram, playing his first-ever match in the competition, raced to 18 before being bowled by Mitchell, and when county seamer Ryan Tonkin bowled Charlie Sharland for nought, it was 35-2 in the fourth over.
However, King took a liking to the Blues attack as he and skipper Christian Purchase took them to 61-2 after the powerplay.
Purchase departed for 25 from 15 balls when he picked out Steve Jenkin off Lewis Stephens’ off-spin, and when Rayner was run-out in the 10th over, it was 94-4.
Thomson joined King and with the latter dispatching the bowling to all parts, the South African was content to play a fine supporting role.
He ended 23 not out from 24 balls, and had the best seat in the ground as King smashed 90 from 53 deliveries with six fours and five sixes.
Whoever wins the WT Edwards Cup crown next Thursday will then battle it out for the right to reach the Vitality Club T20 Regional Finals Day at Basingstoke and North Hants CC on Sunday, August 30, while this year’s national final is at Worcestershire County Cricket Club on Sunday, September 20.
