Bowlers redeem batsmen in one run win

Three wickets apiece from Neil Pullen (3-17), Micky Ruddle (3-5) and Steven Ingram (3-27) helped dig the batsmen out of the mire with a stunning one run win over Ashby Hastings at Mill Lane.

The visitors were unbeaten since the two sides met earlier in the season and will have thought they would canter to an easy victory having bowled the home side out for a lowly 84 with only former Ashby man Will Legg (15) and wicketkeeper Sean Dudley (13) making it in to double figures for the home side while Jamie Boultbee took 5-23 for the Ashby.

It was Ingram who made the initial incisions as he and Pullen combined in a devastating early burst with Pullen tearing the heart out of the Ashby middle order.

Things looked steadier for Ashby with Ben Driver and Richard Lewis going well with a stand of 28 for the seventh wicket - enter the skipper. Ruddle removed Drive and opposing skipper Ian Knox (0) to reduce Ashby to 76 for 8.

Three extras brought the visitrs to within one hit of victory before Jacob Smith had Boultbee caught by Mo Khan for a duck. With Lewis looking on in despair at the other end as the carnage had ensued he managed to keep his nerve to strike a boundary to get his side within two runs of victory but last man Joseph Longley was unable to back his number seven up and was cleaned up by Ruddle for a second ball duck to finish the most dramatic and amazing of finishes.