Nantwich Cricket Club kept their hopes of a third visit to Lord’s alive with a thrilling victory over Kimberley Institute.
The four-wicket win at Whitehouse Lane earned the Dabbers a quarter-final spot in the ECB National Club Championship.
Kimberley Institute, the top team in the Nottingham Premier League, were put in to bat by Nantwich skipper Ray Doyle and posted 214-8 from their 40 overs, with Jason Foulkes taking five wickets.
A rain interruption meant Nantwich were chasing a revised target of 199 from 35 overs.
And despite losing opener Jake Pearson cheaply and seeing Marcus Stables and Luke Robinson depart for 16 apiece, Chris Simpson stood firm and a fourth wicket partnership of 57 with Spencer Byatt took the score to 146-3.
Simpson was finally out for a 70 that included four sixes and the home side then lost Oliver Griffiths and skipper Doyle with 23 still needed for the win.
But Phil Stockton (8no) joined Byatt to see Nantwich over the line with four balls to spare.
Byatt’s winning boundary completed an unbeaten half century for the in-form wicket-keeper.
Nantwich now face another Nottingham League side, Cuckney CC, in the last eight at the end of the month.
Rain had frustrated the first team the previous day when Cheadle CC came to Whitehouse Lane.
A brilliant unbeaten 137 from Stables featured in a 179 partnership with Byatt, who chipped in with a sparkling 74 as the Dabbers made 250-4 declared from 47 overs after being put into bat.
Ray Doyle and Mitchell Spencer had made inroads into the visitors’ batting line-up and Cheadle were 71-2 when the heavens opened and play was abandoned for the day, with the Dabbers earning 10 points.
That leaves them fourth in the Cheshire County Premier League table, 26 points off first-placed Didsbury, but the second team’s struggles continued and they remained bottom of their league after a crushing loss at Cheadle.
After being put into bat, the only Nantwich batsman to really get going was Ricardo Rebelo (37) and the visitors were bowled out for 126.
Luke Cosford, Denny Morgan and Ben Mogg took a wicket apiece but Cheadle cruised to their target in just under 20 overs.
The Saturday thirds fared better, James Michell and Sam Cork making 47 and 34 respectively as Nantwich posted 181 all out.
In reply, Woore finished on 60-7 with David Ferris taking three wickets.
This Sunday, the first team go to Cheadle for the Cheshire T20 finals after winning their quarter-final against Toft at Whitehouse Lane last Thursday.
Toft won the toss and elected to field but a magnificent unbeaten 107 from Robinson saw the Dabbers post a score of 195-5 from their 20 overs.
Robinson’s knock came from only 44 balls and featured seven sixes and 11 fours.
Toft never really threatened the Dabbers’ total, eventually being bowled out inside 17 overs, 89 runs short of the target.
Foulkes grabbed a couple of wickets and Doyle three.
This Saturday, Nantwich firsts travel to Chester Boughton Hall, whose second team will be the visitors to Whitehouse Lane.
The Saturday thirds are away at Audley, the Sunday thirds travel to Romiley and Nantwich Vipers have a home game against Stockport Georgians at Whitehouse Lane on Sunday.
(Images by Desmond Evans)
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