Carter Cup: Mallards make way into double figures

Chasing 170 to win a low-scoring game in which no batsman looked comfortable, Horsford were 75-3 at tea, needing just another 95 runs in 30 overs to lift the trophy.

But in 13 game-changing overs, Mallards grabbed seven wickets for 24 runs to canter home comfortable 70-run victors.

'It was in the balance at tea, it really was. But I always felt we had just enough on the board because it wasn't easy,' said Mallards' jubilant skipper Paul Bradshaw.

And Bradshaw, whose leadership skills were applauded by man of the match adjudicator Matthew Fleming, the former England batsman and Kent captain, certainly played a major role.

'Paul led from the front. His 15-run contribution at the end of the Mallard innings was important in getting his side to a defendable total, he bowled magnificently when Horsford replied, and defied his age with an important run out,' said Fleming.

But the distinguished visitor nevertheless awarded the man of the match honours to 17-year-old Olly Stone who ended with 4-19 from eight very pacy overs.

'He is clearly a young man with lots of potential, a star of the future,' said Fleming.

And Bradshaw was also quick to praise the teenager. 'He is very quick and has bags of potential,' said Bradshaw. 'He loves his cricket. We had no Saturday game so he went with the seconds. He has a good attitude.'

The game changed in two overs after tea. From 75-3 at the break, Bradshaw trapped Dan Clark leg before in the first post-tea over and in the next over Steve Goldsmith saw Peter Free take one of his three superb slip catches to remove Luke Caswell for two.

From then on it was a procession of batting failures and Horsford were swiftly all out for 99.

'I wanted 180-185 but thought 169 might be enough,' said Bradshaw, who won the toss and elected to bat. 'The pitch did a bit. It was a bit green and seamed a bit.'

For Mallards, Ali Shearer topscored with 40 and Free, off the mark with a straight six, hit 38 as they eventually, 10 balls short of their allotted 60 overs, reached 169.

Luke Caswell took 3-29 and was the pick of the Horsford bowlers with skipper Chris Brown and Reece O'Connell also taking three wickets each.

Matthew Warnes and Nathan Perry-Warnes battled hard when Horsford replied but it was Stone who rocked the innings. He got rid of both and then had O'Connell caught behind when Horsford looked just about in control.

Bradshaw and Addison gave away nothing in their opening spell and Stone and fellow youngster Adam Todd kept Horsford on the back foot before Gerry Snyman and Steve Goldsmith made it no easier for Horsford when spin took over from pace.

But it was fitting that it was Stone who returned to bowl what proved the final over, smashing Chris Spenceley's stumps with another super-fast delivery to claim his fourth scalp and his side's cup triumph.

• SCORECARD

Carter Cup Final, Manor Park

• Vauxhall Mallards

C Amos c Spenceley b Caswell 11

D Turner c Smith b Findlay 19

R Goodenough c Smith b Caswell 0

G Snyman c Wilkinson b Caswell 5

P Free c Smith b Brown 38

A Shearer c Wilkinson b O'Connell 40

S Goldsmith c Clark b Brown 17

O Stone b Brown 1

P Bradshaw c Wilkinson b O'Connell 15

A Todd c Smith b O'Connell 1

M Addison not out 5

Extras 17

Total (58.4 overs) 169

Fall: 1-24, 2-24, 3-32, 4-69, 5- ?, 6-135, 7-136, 8-155, 9-162

Bowling: MW Warnes 9.3--1-22-0, Caswell 12-4-29-3, Perry-Warnes 3.3--0-13-0, Findlay 12-2-44-1, Brown 12-2-33-3.

• Horsford

N Perry-Warnes b Stone 14

MR Warnes c Bradshaw b Stone 24

R O'Connell c Goodenough b Stone 8

D Clark lbw b Bradshaw 17

L Caswell c Free b Goldsmith 2

M Wilkinson run out 12

R Findlay c Free b Goldsmith 5

C Spenceley b Stone 3

C Brown lbw b Snyman 1

D Smith c Free b Addison 1

MW Warnes not out 0

Extras 12

Total (43 overs) 99

Bowling: Bradshaw 9-5-8-1, Addison 9-2-25-1, Stone 8-2-19-4, Todd 6-1-20-0, Snyman 5-1-9-1, Goldsmith 6-2-14-2.

Fall: 1-40, 2-49, 3-58, 4-75, 5-75, 6-89, 7-96, 8-97, 9-99.