Lympsham defeated St George by three runs in an exciting match.

LYMPSHAM’S season resumed after a two week washout and hosted St George on a cooler summer’s day.

The visitors won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first. Lympsham started strongly, with Rich Ford and Rich Drew putting on 54 for the first wicket before Ford was lbw for 15.

Tom Gooding joined Drew at the crease and the pair put on 79 for the second wicket when Drew was bowled for 39. Captain Luff joined Gooding with the total on 133-2.

Gooding was faultless and held the innings together, caressing the ball to all parts of the ground. Luff chipped in with a quick fire 21 and Sam Poole supplied some late impetus with 29, but Lympsham Concrete man of the match Gooding stole the show with the bat, reaching his maiden 1st XI century and finishing on an unbeaten 113, leaving Lympsham on 260-3 off their 45 overs.

After tea, Lympsham started superbly, with Luff picking up both openers early, leaving St George on 17-2 off eight overs. However, things got worse for the home side, with Britton smashing the ball everywhere, bringing them closer to their target.

The game was poised at 162-2 off 31 overs. Liam Morris was brought into the attack and picked up two wickets to drag the game back into Lympsham’s favour, but Britton remained at the crease.

He was finally removed for 142, but the damage had been done and the score now stood at 238-5 off 41 overs. With 23 required for victory off four overs, it was down to youngsters Luff and Morris to work wonders at the death.

Morris’ last two overs went for 13, and Luff’s second last for six, meaning St George needed four off the last over for victory.

Luff had the ball in hand, and with the first four balls he bowled two batsmen and bowled two dot balls, leaving four off the final two balls. A single and a dot ball off the final delivery saw Lympsham come out on top in what was one of the games of the season in front of a fantastic home crowd.