Freiston CC are defeated by Bourne after last over drama

Fifties from Waseem Ilyas and Abdul Moeed had given Freiston a decent total to defend, but despite four wickets from Tommy Atkinson, it was Bourne who snatched victory.

Freiston made a steady start, with openers Zeeshan Saeed (11) and Richard Paul putting on 28.

Paul and Waseem Ilyas took the score to 81-2, with Ilyas striking regular boundaries. The partnership ended when Paul was caught in the covers for 16.

Ilyas and Moeed increased the scoring rate with Ilyas scoring his second fifty of the season.

Ilyas was caught for 65, but Moeed and Danny Lumley scored 63 in the last nine overs. Their partnership including some excellent running between the wickets, and Moeed improvised well to reach his fourth fifty of the season. Lumley also played his part, striking a run a ball 24.

Lumley was run out of the final ball, as Freiston posted 202-6 off their 45 overs.

That total didn’t look enough when Bourne made an excellent start. Opening pair Tickler and Woodward scored 42 in the first eight overs before Lumley had Tickler caught at point for 13.

Bourne continued to score at over five an over, until a quickfire double strike from Freiston’s spinners. First Moeed had Woodward stumped for 48, before Atkinson has Howard caught by Moeed for 2.

Bourne still looked in control with the score at 127-3 after 24 overs. Opening bowler Ollie Booth returned to clean bowl Watson for 17, before Lumley had Binns caught behind.

Two wickets in an over from Tommy Atkinson reduced Bourne to 157-7. Kirtland-Blundell and Arlott inched Bourne to 175 before Ollie Sargeant held on to an excellent chance to dismiss Kirtland-Blundell for 8.

Bourne needed 23 off the final five overs and that became just two off the final over. Booth started the final over with a couple of dots, before bowling Arlott for 28. However, last pair Brewster and Pottle scrambled two singles off the next to deliveries to secure victory.