When a person turns 18 it’s a day he or she will long remember, no doubt that’s how Metro’s players will feel about Saturday 3rd September when their team claimed a 53 run win over Sussex at the Northamptonshire County Cricket Ground to win the competition now called the BCEW Primary Club Heindrich Swanepoel Cup for a record breaking 18th time.
Dan Field won the toss for Sussex and sent Metro in to bat. Damion Corrigan, who scored 90 in last years final at the same ground, struck a boundary in the first over before being sharply run out by Marcus Kipling. From there Nick Ebbeck & Andy Law built steadily until Law was bowled by Dave Daniels in the 7th over to leave the Londoners on 28/2.
The momentum shifted towards Metro as Nick Ebbeck & Prem Sellathurai increased the scoring rate to guide their side to 100/2 after 15 overs & 120/2 after 20. The score eventually reached 167 before the highest ever cup final partnership ended at 139 when Ebbeck was dismissed by an Ian Morris catch from Dan Field’s bowling for a magnificent 90. Prem was later out for a battling 36 as Dave Daniels took the catch from his son Phil Daniels’s bowling. Mo Ghalib finished 23 not out whilst Sam Hoskin (4) & Rory Field (0) were run out by Matt Greenhough & Marcus Kipling respectively as Metro finished on an imposing 203/6.
After Sussex got off to a brisk start Damion Corrigan took a good catch off Rory Field’s bowling to remove Dave Daniels with the score 23/1 in the third over. Metro’s totally blind fielders then stepped up, Amit Amin caught both Dan Field (4) & Phil Daniels (1) from the bowling of Gareth Jones & Mo Ghalib, whilst Alan Turnbull took a screamer to send Si Ledwith back to the pavilion for 29, from Damion Corrigan’s bowling.
Callum Weir batted superbly to try & get the Sharks back in the game, but wickets continued to fall as Mark Oliphant (6) was bowled by Chris Blake & Chris Baily fell LBW to Mo Ghalib for 11 to leave the score at 100/6.
Sussex had recovered to 144/6 when Callum’s brave innings ended in controversial circumstances for a well earned 42 & that wicket seemed to have ended the Sharks chances. Mo Ghalib struck in quick succession to dismiss Marcus Kipling for 11 & Matt Greenhough for 0 before Amit Amin ended his own memorable match by trapping Ian Morris LBW for 0. This left Sussex all out for 150 with Alex Towers stranded on 3 not out. Mo Ghalib’s 4-11 were the stand out bowling figures from an outstanding Metro bowling performance.
Nick Ebbeck was named Partially Sighted Man of the Match & Amit Amin Totally Blind Man of the Match, both of which were extremely well deserved.
BCEW would like to thank the Primary Club for continuing to fund this competition, the final of which is still considered blind cricket’s blue ribbon event.
Grateful Thanks also goes to Jim Hawkins, Jonathan Taylor, Derek Styman & the team at Northamptonshire Cricket for hosting the final so terrifically, especially as they had agreed to host the match at short notice after the originally planned venue fell through.