Rams get home in thriller

3:29pm Monday 12th May 2008

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Glos / Wilts division one; Rockhampton (302-6) beat Winget (301-3) by four wickets

ROCKHAMPTON produced a thrilling run-chase to win with two balls to spare in a scorching game on Saturday.

After being asked to field Rockhampton's opening bowlers Richard Jones (11-1-39-1) and Jack Spence (9-0-45-0) received very little in the way of luck for the second week in succession.

In particular the veteran Jones was exasperated to see two straightforward chances grassed before Simon Hore clung on to a skier at long off to dismiss Collinson for 29.

This brought Richard Howells to the wicket and together with Jon Tegg the pair laid the foundation for an enormous partnership of 237. Initially the Rams bowlers, with James Hancox and Nick Gulwell to the fore did well to stem the flow of runs.

Will Cartildge (3-0-29-0) took some flak before the closing stages in which Hancox (14-1-92-1) bowled Howells for 83 and Gulwell (13-0-87-1) picked up the wicket of Tegg, caught Tyler, for 159.

This meant GCW had posted a daunting 301 from their allotted 50 overs, a total far higher than any Rockhampton team had ever reached batting second.

Openers Will Tyler and Rowan Cartlidge set about the unlikely run chase with composure and pierced the field on several occasions to bring up a superb century stand in the 21st over.

Each opener played some textbook drives before their partnership ended on 129 as Cartildge was run out for 44.

That brought seasoned campaigner Jeremy White to the crease and he immediately looked at ease whilst Tyler continued to play beautifully, perhaps the highlight being a towering six over square leg from a pick up shot off South African Elles. That shot took him to 99 and a simple nudge through mid on took him to a magnificent century.

As the pair had added 77 for the second wicket White fell for 27, caught at long off.

Skipper Hore added 58 with Tyler before the opener's special innings of 147 was fittingly brought to an end by an incredible one handed diving catch inches from the long on boundary.

This shifted the advantage back to GCW and Hore had added 26 before he was stumped off a wide.

Hopkins and Spence each fell trying to force the tempo and with 13 required going into the final over the outlook looked bleak for the Rams.

Hancox took a single off the first ball, and youngster Matt Belbin proceeded to stun the opposition and send his team mates into raptures as he smashed the next three balls to the boundary giving Rockhampton perhaps their greatest ever victory.

Rockhampton would like to thank British Beef and & Lamb for sponsoring the matchball and look forward to extending their 100% start to their campaign as they entertain Marlborough at the Boundary Field on Saturday.