Cramlington Midweek XI hold their nerve to win game filled with controversy

Cramlington Midweek XI won their last game after hitting a six off the final ball

West End won the toss and decided to bat first, with Will Asher accounting for opener Saif Azam for eight to put Cramlington on the front foot.

The tide soon turned as West End’s number three, Vacaas Ali, tore into the bowling, hitting three sixes and nine fours.

However, Cramlington felt aggrieved that a stumping decision and a couple of lbws didn’t go their way.

There were also some poor fielding and soon both Ali and Hassan Khaleel had reached their half centuries, Khaleel ending on 52 not out, Ali on 79 not out as West End finished on 167-1.

The Cramlington batters tried some big hits as they chased their target, many of which ended in catches, with Khalid Azam catching both Billy Pulman and Jonathan Marshall, to leave Cramlington on 52-2.

There were some unnecessary scenes after West End appealed for a run-out that wasn’t given, with the Cramlington batters refusing to rise to the provocation from the opposition.

It looked as though Cramlington would fail to reach the required runs until Vihanga Fernando took his turn at the crease, hitting 50 from 23 runs to turn the tide in Cramlington’s favour.

After Fernando’s wicket fell, Will Asher and Sam Carroll set about chasing down the total, Asher hitting three sixes until Cramlington needed six runs from the last ball.

Asher kept his nerve to hit his fourth six of the match and seal the win, preserving Cramlington Midweek’s unbeaten record.

Cramlington seconds were in action on Saturday when they played Blyth seconds, winning by a whopping 112 runs.

Put in to bat by Blyth, they reached 154 all out, Paul Bramley top-scoring on 26 as Enzo Mills and Sachin Singh did the damage for Blyth, Mills ending with figures of 4-17, Singh 3-18.

Allan Livingstone then skittled the Blyth batters, ending with figures of 5-11, with Arron Birch claiming two wickets for two runs and Stephen Parker three wickets for two runs as Blyth crumbled to 42 all out.

Captain Rory O’Connor top-scored for Blyth with 15 runs and was the only Blyth batter to reach double figures.

Cramlington seconds are fourth in Division 6 North, while Blyth seconds remain rooted to the bottom.