Cup final report

After the defeat on Tuesday night, losing in the cup final would have represented our worst year ever and if I am honest, I was not confident. Somehow, we had just been off the pace a little all season.

Well that all changed last night. There was a real cutting edge to the fielding for the first time this season and having won the toss, we really showed what we were made of. The start, however, was anything but sure. One of their openers played a blinder and was back in the hutch on 25 after only 4 overs. This was the point the match started to turn though. They continue to score well and were well past 50 before we took our first wicket. With a weaker 2nd pair in, I took Dave and Steve off (who had bowled a really tight opening couple of overs), to replace them with Neil and I. We removed their second string pair with a short under arm throw from Dave, even though Graeme had wanted us to keep their number three hanging around for a while longer as he was scoring slowly. I then got rid of number 4 with a classic leg break just drawing the batsman forward and Steve snaffling a great catch at slip. This brought their opener back in again with some pressure on the final pair with only 90 on the board. With 4 overs left, Dave then pulled off the best piece of fielding of the night/season picking up off the side wall and throwing down the bowlers end to run out their returning opener with virtually no addition to his total. Their last man only lasted one more over before edging a short lifting leg break to Steve again at slip. So we had bowled out Redbourn for their lowest score of the season, 106.

Our innings started well, particularly Steve who attacked well and move the score along quickly. We were well ahead of the run rate when he was somewhat needlessly run out, but it was a good piece of fielding. Dave was next in and we continued to accumulate well with Graeme nearing 25, he was lucky not to be run out on hitting his retiring run. Russell, our gallant stand-in for the evening, sadly did not have time to show his talent, before being comprehensively run out too. Neil and Dave continued safely allowing Dave to retire having batted well, bring me in with less than 30 to win and plenty of overs. I felt there was no point in prolonging the match and tried to smash a few 8s and 6s to see us home quickly, this was a poor choice and I was smartly caught and bowled off the ceiling having run out Neil only a few balls before. This left Dave and Neil with plenty of time left to knock off the final 20, but we did this rather painfully and it wasn't until the final over that we hit the winning run.

Man of the match goes to Dave for two run outs, in particular the fine direct hit to get rid of their top scorer and an undefeated 30 to see us home.

Thanks to all those involved this season, to keep up the record of winning either the league or cup every season.