Nantwich CC kept their hopes of another visit to Lord’s alive with a remarkable win at Porthill Park.
The Dabbers reached the final of the ECB National Club Championship in 2019 and 2022.
But their chances of returning to the Home of Cricket for a third time looked remote when they were reduced to 40-5 when chasing a revised target of 203 from 36 overs.
But Spencer Byatt (pictured) and Phil Stockton put on 135 for the sixth wicket to pave the way for a dramatic victory that earned Nantwich a last-16 tie against Nottingham League outfit Kimberley Institute.
On the previous Sunday, Porthill Park had racked up a massive 304-6 from their 40 overs, only to see rain wash out the remainder of the game.
But even though the home side – having been put into bat again – could only manage 212-6 the second time around, it still looked like being good enough when Matt Coxon and Ben Cotton ripped through the Dabbers’ top order.
Byatt and Stockton had other ideas, though.
Byatt hit four sixes and seven fours in his 89, with Stockton striking one six and six fours in his unbeaten 55.
There were anxious moments when John Hancock bowled Byatt and had Ollie Griffiths caught first ball but Jason Foulkes joined Stockton and the pair put on an unbroken stand of 30 to see Ray Doyle’s side home.
The unlikely triumph capped another successful week for the in-form first team.
On Thursday, they booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Cheshire T20 Cup with a win at Oulton Park CC.
A 28-ball 54 from Marcus Stables was the centrepiece of the Dabbers’ 200-4, Chris Simpson making 47 and Byatt and Jake Pearson contributing unbeaten cameos of 22 and 24 respectively.
The home side were in with a great shout of progressing while Ollie Law was at the crease, the former Nantwich batsman plundering half a dozen sixes in his 85.
But after Law was brilliantly run out by Byatt, Oulton Park’s run chase stuttered and they eventually finished 18 short.
Nantwich then continued their fine Cheshire County Premier League form with a comfortable win at Grappenhall CC on Saturday.
The home team won the toss and elected to bat but were always struggling as Foulkes and Doyle claimed three wickets each to help bowl out Grappenhall for 151.
Stockton and Scott Wardley took two apiece.
Although Nantwich lost opener Ben Wright cheaply and Jake Pearson for 39, Stables and Luke Robinson took Nantwich to an eight-wicket win with an unbroken partnership of 67.
Stables hit six fours in his 53 while Robinson hit three sixes and five fours in his 32-ball 49.
The 25-point win means Nantwich stay fourth in the Premier League table but are now only seven points behind leaders Didsbury, who come to Whitehouse Lane this Saturday (July 1).
It will be a midday start and all spectators are welcome for what should be an exciting encounter.
While the firsts are flying, Nantwich seconds continue to struggle and are now bottom of the 2nd XI Premier Division after a home defeat to Brooklands CC.
Three wickets each for Luke Cosford and Ben Mogg helped the home side restrict Brooklands to 194-9 from their 50 overs and 39 from Harry Newton, 28 from Ricardo Rebelo and 30 from Ben Jarvis put Nantwich in a good position in reply.
But when Jarvis was run out, the Dabbers collapsed and fell 40 runs short of their target.
The seconds travel to Didsbury on Saturday as they try to end their slump.
There was better news for the Saturday third team, who restricted Sandbach CC seconds to 143-7 (David Ferris 3-18) from their 40 overs and then knocked off the required runs with eight overs to spare, thanks mainly to 37 from Sam Williams and an unbeaten 81 from Nick Bentley.
The Sunday thirds also posted a win after Timperley won the toss and chose to bat at Whitehouse Lane.
Freddy Woodfine and Mark French took a couple of wickets apiece as the visitors made 159-7 from their 40 overs.
Nantwich were always in control of the run chase, Umar Shafiq Malik making 51 and Ben Jarvis an unbeaten 50 as the home side reached their target with six wickets and 6.3 overs to spare.
In the Women’s Club Plate T20, there was a defeat for Nantwich Vipers at Caythorpe CC, Notts.
Ammesha Jabir took two wickets for the Vipers after they elected to field but the home side posted an imposing total of 143-3.
Madi Hudson (15), Grace Michell (14), Charlotte Neal (19) and Izzi Pearson (17) all made starts but the home side took regular wickets and the Vipers came up 43 runs short on 100-6.
(Image by Graham Pearson)
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