The East Keswick 2nd XI were promoted to Division 5 after a rollercoaster of a day where they lost by 17 runs to Church Fenton but then found themselves promoted as Whixley beat Kippax by 25 runs.
Winning the toss for the 14th time during the season the East Keswick skipper chose to bowl first on a damp wicket. The decision paid dividends almost straight away as Muhammad Kamran (3 for 33) snapped up the wicket of Dean for a duck thanks to a sharp catch at point by Dinesh. At 6 for 1 Ashley Richardson came to the wicket and with Marshall took the score to 23 before Andy Barber (3 for 34) produced a snorter that lifted outside Ashley's off stump and took an edge that was well taken behind the stumps by Gowdhaman. 23 for 2 soon became 29-3 as Karman struck again this time castling Marshall with a ball that nipped back off the seam.
Moorhouse and Rucklidge batted well as they put on 52 before John Barber (3-32) struck twice in the space of an over, first bowling Rucklidge and then having Wilkinson caught for a duck. Neil Chapman took a fantastic low catch three quarters way back to the boundary off James's bowling (1-18) as Fenton reached 125-7. Andy Barber returned to the attack and struck twice thanks to a contender for the catch of the season as Gowdhaman reacted to a fast flying thick edge by reaching up high and to his right and taking a blinder one handed. and then again as he clean bowled Barnaby.
Numbers nine and ten put on two dozen runs before Kamran and Andy mopped up the tail. With a final total of 158 Keswick would have felt it was a very reachable target.
After tea Andrew and Guru went out to bat and made an excellent start with Guru inparticular playing some wonderful shots as they took the score to 31 before Guru fell trying to cut a ball that swung in and took his off-stump. There followed a flurry of wickets as James was clean bowled by a jubliant Richardson for a duck, Gowdhaman and Ashfaq's wild swings found them bowled and caught out, and Kamran too was bowled. Within the space of a few overs Keswick had gone from 31-1 to 42-5 as Fenton sensed victory.
Neil came to the wicket with the Keswick skipper and played well for 8 driving a couple of lovely shots for four before too being bowled as Keswick reached 59-6. The slide was stopped as Gareth helped put on 25 for the next wicket as he smashed 18 including two fours and a six before becoming the sixth East Keswick playted to be bowled out.
As Dinesh joined the skipper at 84-7 Andrew decided that some shots had to be played as he first smashed Rucklidge for a big six to cow corner and then stylishly drove him through the covers for four. Dinesh battled hard as he smashed one ball hard through mid-wicket as he made 12 important runs before falling LBW to Richardson. Having taken the score to 118-8 Keswick were still in the game and Fenton slightly nervous but only two balls from victory. Andy Barber came to the wicket and got off the mark with a lovely on drive through mid-wicket for four and was playing well before failing to get hold of a pull shot through mid-wicket and being caught out for nine. Keswick were now 27 runs short of the total.
A tired Keswick skipper batted on and decided that a couple of boundaries off Davies might be enough to turn the tide. Having missed trying to turn the first ball of the over down legside where there was no fine leg he proceded to try and smash a full toss straight back down the ground, but slicing it slightly he found himself caught on the boundary rope for a stirling 48. Cue a jubilant Fenton and dejected Keswick who were just an agonising 17 runs short of the total required for victory.
Keswick's only hope lay in promotion now lay in Whixley beating Kippax, a result that was something less than likely on the balance of form. A phone call to the match secretary yielded no information so the skipper phoned the Whixley vice captain who teasingly paused before confirming that they had remarkable turned Kippax over. A dejected Keswick team had snatched promotion from the jaws of defeat as the celebrations began and the skipper found himself covered in beer.....
Man of The Match - Whixley CC 2nd XI.
Champagne Moment - Gowdhaman's sublime catch behind the stumps.
A Special Mention - Church Fenton's team who were gracious in victory (and supplied free beer).
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