Close Coronation Cup final

The 55th final of the Great Yarmouth Coronation Cup took place at Martham Cricket Club's ground.

It was contested by Acle and Ashmanhaugh, who had both won their three group games to qualify for the final, and it turned out to be a very well matched contest.

Ashmanhaugh won the toss and chose to bat. Their captain Everett and Satti, their Kiwi overseas player, opened the batting and tried to dominate from the start. But they found runs hard to come by until Satti hit Carter for a four and six.

But when he tried to repeat the shots, he only succeeded in skying the ball and was caught. Wickets then fell at regular intervals. And when Everett was also caught, it seemed that Ashmanhaugh would struggle to set a challenging total.

At the end of their innings they reached 111-7, with Acle's young Tom Wilson returning figures of five overs, five wickets for 40 runs.

In reply, Acle also found it hard to get ahead of the required run rate.

Adam Munford made 16, then Darren Ward batted well before getting out for a good 28.

The dangerous Rob Parker was given out for 14 and the result was now in the balance.

The Ashmanhaugh bowlers Warminger and Satti in particular were turning the screw, the latter completing his five overs taking four wickets for 23 runs.

When the last over commenced, Acle needed four runs to win.

The first seven balls brought only two runs and their Kiwi overseas player Matty Short had the result in his hands and duly struck the delivery to the cover boundary to win the cup for Acle, finishing not out on 34.

Organiser Alf Tooley thanked Martham CC for allowing the final to be played on their ground and also thanked Pat Reynolds for once again presenting the Neville Reynolds Cup to the runners-up, Ashmanhaugh.

He presented the Coronation Cup and trophies to Acle.

Thanks also went to the match umpires Trevor Jones and Philip Stone.