BARNARD CASTLE made history yesterday as they became the first club from the Darlington Building Society NYSD ECB Premier League to compete in the ECB National Club T20 final – but they were unable to claim the trophy at Wantage Road, the home of Northamptonshire CC.

Barney suffered a five-wicket defeat at the hands of their opponents, Tunbridge Wells, who play their league cricket in the Kent Cricket League Premier Division.

Having won the toss, and being cheered on by about 150 supporters who had travelled from the North East, Barney opted to bat, but their fate was effectively sealed as they made a dreadful start to their innings, slumping to 43-4.

Bailey Wightman (2-21) struck twice early on, removing Barney skipper James Quinn for just two and then fellow opener Josh Bousfield for a duck.

Barnard Castle professional, Samarth Seth, was then out shortly after, for just nine, while Richard Borrowdale failed to trouble the scorers.

Karl Carver (55no) and Finn Usher (22) moved the score along somewhat, as they put on 43 runs together for the fifth wicket.

Carver’s half-century came off 45 balls, which included six fours, and with James Clarkson (17no), he helped put on an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 39 crucial runs.

That meant Barney finishing their innings on 125-5 from their allocated 20 overs.

Tunbridge Wells lost opener Viraj Bhatia, who has topped the run charts in the Kent Cricket League Premier Division for the past two seasons, as he fell to Carver for just five runs.

He was followed back to the pavilion shortly after, as skipper Christopher Williams was out for a duck, reducing them to 7-2.

Alexander Williams and Ian McLean then put on 40 runs together for the third wicket though, before McLean was run out.

Williams then started to open his shoulders and the runs began to flow, as he hit 53 not out from 44 balls, which included five fours and two sixes.

Finn Usher (2-16) then claimed two quick wickets to leave Tunbridge Wells on 84-5 after 14 overs.

Matthew Barker then hit a quick 35 not out from 18 balls, which included five fours and a six, to leave the Kent side needing 12 runs off the last two overs.

Barker then smashed a six and two fours off the first three balls of the 19th over, to win the game on 128-5.