Lympsham’s Jack Luff scored his maiden league century, but his team finished agonisingly one run short against Lodway.

LYMPSHAM made the short trip to Lodway and lost the toss with the home side electing to bat.

Lympsham got off to the best possible start with Simon Cowgill (1- 43) removing Wyatt in the first over. After this, partnerships started to build and fall, and the home side found themselves 157-8 with Liam Morris (3-33) doing most of the damage. A sloppy last 10 overs allowed Lodway to get to a respectable 249-8.

In reply, Lympsham lost Jason Parsons fifth ball and only a partnership of 37 between captain Andy Hall and Tom Gooding showed any significance as Lympsham found themselves on 71-6.

This brought Lympsham Concrete man of the match Jack Luff to the crease, who joined Rich Ford and together started to rebuild. Luff then showed his class, power and elegance to guide the ball around the park.

These two took Lympsham to 228-6 off 44 overs, with 22 required off of the last over for victory. But their efforts were not enough. Three massive sixes from Luff in the last over could not get them over the line and they lost by just one run.

This left Rich Ford on 52 not out and Luff 121 not out (14 fours and six sixes) giving the 16-year-old his maiden league century in an unbeaten partnership of 177.

LYMPSHAM

A Hall lbw Gayford 9

J Parsons b Metcalfe 0

T Gooding b Harris 12

D Luff lbw Harris 1

R Drew b Harris 10

C Scriven c & b Young 5

R Ford not out 52

J Luff not out 121

Extras 38

Total (6 wkts) 248

Bowling: S Cowgill 12-3-43-1; A Russ 12-1-74-2; L Morris 7-0-33-3; J Luff 11-2-54-1; T Gooding 2-0-24-1; D Luff 1-0-6-0.

The Seconds hosted Patchway who won the toss and decided to bat first. Max Ford took two early wickets, but a good stand of nearly 100 set Patchway up until Windows Merchants man of the match and debutant Tom Ferns, aged 14, came on to bowl.

He took a wicket with his first ball and ripped out the middle order ending up with 4-19. He was backed up by Felix Grandfield, also aged 14, and also making his debut, who took 2-5 to end the innings on 187 all out.

Lympsham’s reply started steadily against some lively bowling with George Munden (37) oozing class and Rod Simpson (69) anchoring the other end. A slight wobble towards the end set the nerves jangling, but Lympsham won thanks to many extras and Max Ford and Simon Pilgrim hitting several boundaries in two overs.