Ashington win tense final in last over to lift Bobby Smithson Cup

Chasing 103 to win, the player of the match added calm to proceedings after he went to the wicket with his side on a shaky-looking 17-3 in reply.

McCarthy scored a superb unbeaten 46 as Ashington won the game from the third ball of the last over.

It was a nail-biter of a final which all started from the first over of the Hill innings.

The home side were put in to bat and Kyle Coetzer struck a big blow with a six off Jeremiah Louis. However the Ashington professional hit back as he bowled Coetzer from the final ball of the opening over.

From thereon, it was all about Louis. He bowled William Archbold and Peter Halliday, and trapped both Phill Bell and Evasio Macmillan lbw, leaving the Hill in deep trouble at 30-5 in the seventh over.

That became 49-6 in the 11th when Matty Potts bowled Daniel Gardiner.

But Max Tidmarsh (26) and Max Williamson (19) dug deep for a stand of 24 before both fell to the combination of being caught by James Harmison off Callum Storey.

The Hill were all out for 102 in the 18th over.

Louis claimed 5-19 from four overs; Potts 3-11 from 2.4 overs and Storey 2-32 from three.

Hill’s opening bowler, Macmillan, lit the blue touch paper to spark off a terrific second half as Ben O’Brien pulled his first delivery straight down Gardiner’s throat.

In the second over, Ben Harmison clipped a ball from Callum Harding to Williamson at 5-2.

Louis was run out in the fourth over and in the next, Jack Jessop skied Gardiner and was pouched by Tidmarsh at 22-4.

McCarthy and James Harmison got Ashington back on track with a defiant stand of 38 before the latter lifted the ball to Abu Siddique and departed for 11.

Ashington – who had required a run a ball – whittled it down to six from 12 but there was another twist when Williamson took a good catch in the penultimate over to dimiss Adam Nichol.

The Mighty Acorns needed three to win in a nervy final over, Potts scoring the winning runs with a snick which went for four.