Fascinating final day brings season to a thrilling close

1:00pm Wednesday 5th September 2007

BRETFORTON wasn't the only place for excitement as the John Shepherd Cotswold Hills League season drew to a fascinating conclusion last Saturday.

And, the Premier Division wasn't the only section to see the leading pair separated by a solitary point.

The same scenario unfolded in the first division where Kineton couldn't really lose out provided they defeated Bidford which they did with ease to regain their top flight status.

Their 118-run triumph proved doubly profitable as it assured them of promotion but also meant that they lifted the title after Henley's defeat by 75 runs at Ashton for whom the win only secured third place in the final table for a second successive summer.

Sealed It was equally exciting in Division Two where Leamington's two-wicket win over Long Itchington sealed the championship leaving Stratford and Rowington to battle it out for the runners-up spot.

Rowington's players might not have enjoyed their tea too much after Shipston set the hosts a daunting target of 237 but Rowington only needed to send four batters to the crease as they eased to an eight-wicket success.

The 24 points collected left Stratford needing 13 to overtake them and they achieved exactly that many after a thrilling tussle at Chipping Campden.

The home side needed seven off the last over to overhaul Stratford's 186-7 but lost captain Jamie Lindner run-out off the first ball.

Kevin Reason was clean bowled next up but Mike Smith's boundary off the third ball left Campden requiring two runs off three balls.

Smith failed to score off the fourth delivery and was run out off the fifth before Tom Taylor scampered a single off the last ball to tie the scores.

The champions of Divisions Three and Four were decided after the top two sides in both sections locked horns.

FISSC must have thought their championship chances had gone when they could only amass 138 against Temple Grafton but the Tiddington side's bowlers came up trumps and dismissed the villagers for 98 leaving the winners with an 11-point lead at the summit.

Blockley started the day top of the fourth division and must have fancied their chances of staying there after restricting Cookhill to 166-6.

However, the normally reliable Sparmoor batsmen blew their chances of lifting the title when they were all out for 140.

There was a double cause for celebration at Bretforton after the club's second team clinched the Division Five championship.

Meagre Already assured of promotion, they dismissed Stratford Bards for a meagre 56 in an eight-wicket win that left Dorridge in a hopeless position despite bowling Bidford out for 104 before matching their rivals' margin of victory.

At the wrong end of the tables, the most important match was at Ragley Park where Tanworth defeated their hosts by 13 runs to secure top flight status and leaving Alcester to reflect on a single season back in the Premier Division.

Twyning's decision to conceded their match at Warwick CC Staff almost backfired as they were nearly dragged into the bottom two. However they had Claverdon to thank after another tense climax saw the visitors total 194-6 and then see relegated Woodbourne fail by a single run to earn the tie that would have saved them from the drop.