ALTHOUGH only six Feversham League matches were scheduled to take place in May, it was nevertheless extraordinary that it wasn’t until the evening of the 31st that the first match was played to a conclusion.

Previously bad weather had caused three postponements, one was conceded, and one abandonment due to a serious injury to a player.

Desperate to get a game, and with their ground unfit, Gillamoor agreed to switch their home fixture with Slingsby to the latter’s ground.

In a 16 over a side contest Gillamoor batted first, and would surely have been perfectly content with their total 87 for 4. Whilst Ian Smith’s 37 proved to be the backbone of the innings, Tom Munday’s worthy contribution of 23 not out shouldn’t be overlooked.

Matt Durrant chipped in with ten, whilst Henry Harrison had figures of two wickets for ten runs.

Slingsby made a cautious and a rather unimpressive start to their innings, so much so that after ten overs they had only 38 runs on the board for the loss of a number of key wickets, thanks to tight bowling by Adam Durrant (2 for 11) and Alec Medd (2 for 12). Defeat for Slingsby, therefore, seemed inevitable. Nineteen-yearold Max Fraser, however, didn’t subscribe to that view. He simply pulverised the first change Gillamoor attack, James Skelton (2 for 36) particularly bearing the brunt of his onslaught, smashing no less than seven sixes and one four, reaching an undefeated 53 to see Slingsby through to a nailbiting three wicket success with just three balls remaining.