Clumber Park edge home to a narrow win in the rain at Gainsborough

Clumber captain Mark Dean said: “It was a difficult game with some difficult periods to overcome. Rain affected games are never easy.”

The torrential rain miraculously stopped to allow a 30 over per side game.

Gainsborough won the toss and unsurprisingly opted to bowl first.

As expected, the conditions were very bowler friendly, and Clumber soon lost Chris Mather and Darren Spooner to find themselves 10-2.

Dave Taylor and Ben Perkins set about building a brilliant platform with some glorious shots all around the ground, before Ben fell for a fluent 37 after a partnership of 67.

At halfway Clumber were a healthy 90-3, but a fall of quick wickets – including Dave Taylor (56) and Zak Berridge (15) - put the pressure back on as they slumped to 123-6.

Mark Dean (21 not out) and Dan Fotheringham (10) set about stabilising the innings, whilst trying to navigate to a decent score in the final stages. Clumber closed on 173-8 from their 30 overs.

In the field, Clumber got off to a great start with Alex Jervis (1-21) striking early.

However, Gainsborough’s Tittley (30) and Andrews (45) built a dangerous partnership of 53 before Darren Spooner (1-19) broke through thanks to a well-judged catch in the deep from Jasper Dennison.

To win, Clumber knew that dangerman Andrews had to go and it was Mark Dean that managed to do just that, courtesy of an excellent bit of boundary catching between Jasper Dennison and Zak Berridge.

At this point, Gainsborough needed 43 runs from seven overs with six wickets left – it was anybody’s game.

Smith (22) and Housham (29) both fell and with the score on 143 and Gainsborough needed 30 to win from four overs.

Mark Dean got another to finish with figures of 3-32, and both Hayden Cox (0-28) and Zak Berridge (1-28) came back strongly at the death.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​