Ranston Cup Final

Having secured the Ranston Evening League following a series of ten straight wins, Stalbridge looked to complete the double in a repeat of last year’s Cup Final against Shaftesbury Convicts.  Stalbridge were looking for revenge for last year’s 10 run defeat, although things started badly when Shaftesbury won the toss and asked Stalbridge to bat first. 

Phil Calcott and Colin Moore didn’t get off to their normally fluent start in the face of some tight bowling, particularly from Shaftesbury skipper Graham Hipworth, and fielding, but put on 21 before Calcott was first to depart.  Moore was joined by Simon Miles and together they added 49 off 33 balls before Moore, top scoring with 36, was LBW to the impressive Liam Romanillos. 

70-2 soon became 81-5 and the balance appeared to be shifting back towards Shaftesbury.  Reece Wilson was unluckily run out at the non-strikers end following a deflection off the bowler, Simon Miles was bowled by Simon Snook, and Jon Forshaw was run out by a direct hit from mid-wicket.  A rebuilding operation was required and Mark Chant and Andy Hoskins added 29 off 26 balls, but both perished trying to up the scoring rate.  Snook accounted for Chant, who made 20, and finished with 2-29 from his four overs.  Romanillos went one better and ended with excellent figures of 3-20.

The tail wagged briefly and Stalbridge ended on 127-9 off their 16 overs, which looked to be a competitive, but not spectacular score.

Shaftesbury were soon in trouble at 10-3 off four overs, including the crucial wicket of Pete Anyan, run out by Mark Chant’s direct hit at the non-strikers end from backward point.  Steve Forshaw was particularly impressive conceding only one run from his opening two overs – and that was a wide!

In the space of 25 balls, Graham Hipworth and Jon Fryer not only stemmed the flow of wickets, but rebuilt the faltering run rate, adding 46.  Both were dismissed in the space of two overs, Mark Chant clinging onto a low catch at mid-wicket off Hayden Williams to dismiss Fryer, then bowling Hipworth for 30 (5 fours and a six) with only his second ball.  At 64-5 Stalbridge seemed to be in the driving seat, but a couple of boundaries from Romanillos were followed by an excellently paced partnership of 38 from 36 balls between Jamie Smith and Tristan Todd and Shaftesbury reached 114-6 with two overs remaining.

Steve Forshaw’s last over proved critical as he captured a couple of wickets, including that of Smith for 17, while conceding only three runs.  It was left to Mark Chant to bowl the last over with Shaftesbury requiring 11 runs for victory, but the crucial moment occurred off the first ball when Jon Forshaw clung on to a high catch at deep mid-wicket to dismiss the dangerous Todd for 18.  Despite following this up with a wide, Chant held his nerve and Shaftesbury finished 122 all out, losing their last wicket through a run out off the last ball.

Stalbridge therefore won through by only 5 runs in a final which could have gone either way up until the very end.  Steve Forshaw’s excellent spell of 2-8 from four overs secured the man of the match award, but it was good performances from players on both sides which contributed to this memorable and closely fought game of cricket.