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NVCC II v Heskth Bank II

NEW VIC ARE THE CHAMPS.
New Victoria 2nds lifted the Southport & District Cricket League Division 4 championship last Saturday at Rufford Road.
The penultimate game of the season saw them take on visitors and nearest rivals, Hesketh Bank 2nds. New Vic were already 16 points clear at the top of the table, with Hesketh Bank their nearest rivals, in second place. A win for New Vic would bring the championship trophy to Rufford Road, whilst a Hesketh Bank win would put them in the driving seat. New Vic could also win on the day by achieving a net overall lead of more than twenty points through the bonus points system.
Surprisingly the visitors elected to field and gave New Vic the chance to exploit the double bonus points for batting first. Openers Martin Doran (29) and Alex Rigby (21) were aided by numerous byes and put on an opening stand of 58. Richard Wilson put together a painstaking half century and Matty Walsh (37) topped it all in rapid time, with a couple of sixes. When Captain Martin Howard declared on 184 for 4, New Vic had stretched their lead to 24 points but Hesketh Bank still had the opportunity to reduce that lead through batting bonus points and possibly for the issue to the last game of the season.
The visitors needed to score 150 for the four bonus points needed to make New Vic put their celebration on hold and also not to lose any wickets in the process; a long call. Prescot, for Hesketh Bank, made a gallant attempt but Colin Fenny (New Vic) 3-25 had other ideas and as he took wicket after wicket with them Hesketh Bank's championship challenge disappeared completely. In the end the game fizzled out into a draw, as New Vic began their celebrations, which continued at The Shrimper, into the night.
New Vic 2nds now look forward to life in the 3rd Division next season.

Man of the match - R. Wilson (50)

Scorecard