Winning the toss, Barrow put Winnington into the field on a hot summer evening. Rowan B and Rowan K opened the batting and fended-off Winnington’s excellent opening bowler to provide a solid start reaching 224 without loss after their four overs. Arthur and Seth then peppered the boundary adding another 33 runs to leave Barrow 257/0 at the halfway stage. With Barrow threatening a big score, Winnington turned the tables with two quick wickets in the 9th over as their opening bowler returned. Jake and Ethan quickly regrouped to add 21 runs, including a 6 from Jake, before losing another wicket in the 12th over. Milo and Alex then steadied the ship pushing Barrow to a season-high score of 285/5.

With the heat not subsiding as quickly as hoped, Barrow took to the field knowing they needed to concentrate to have a chance of victory. They got off to a flyer as Milo threw in for a run-out off the second ball, and Rowan B took a freakish catch in the third after the batter hit the ball into the air only for it the land on his own head before nestling into the wicket-keeper’s hands. With Winnington struggling to get going on 203/2 after their third over, they suddenly cut-loose with 15 runs off the fourth. They continued this momentum with their second pair scoring 38 including a six but crucially they lost two wickets – one each to Arthur and Jake. Winnington’s momentum was shut down in the 9th over with two wickets for 1 run from Rowan B, before Seth took a further wicket in the 12th over leaving Winnington 261/7. Winnington’s final pair soon ramped up the pressure with another six and a four in the 13th over and were left needing 7 runs off the final over. Barrow’s captain, Rowan B, took the ball. Four runs were conceded off the first three balls leaving Winnington needing 3 runs from 3 balls. Rowan B kept his composure and sent ‘the bails to Wales’ with his fourth delivery, and conceded a single of his fifth. Winnington needed a six off their last ball to secure victory, which was not inconceivable given the big hitting seen during the evening. Rowan B brought it home though and secured victory removing the bails once again off the final delivery of the match, leaving him with figures of 4/6.

What a night! A great team performance under pressure.