Belvoir CC fight back as Irvine wrecks Cavaliers batting

Gareth King (23) did his best to push the score along with some enterprising shots, including a flick off his pads for six over backward square leg. Following his demise, Liaqat Ali (3 for 39) took three quick wickets with some intelligent bowling, but amid the wreckage stood skipper Tom Neville (49 not out).

With a bit of power and finesse he guided Belvoir to a defendable score, sharing a stand of 44 precious runs with Shay Brady (20) for the sixth wicket.

Numbers 10 and 11, Ben Robinson and Danny Gibson, also proved steadfast as Neville drew closer to a 50, only to be denied as the overs ran out.

Chasing 138, Cavaliers stuttered to 27-1 before Phil Irvine turned up the heat with three wickets in successive overs.

This was a sustained spell of clever, penetrative and aggressive seam bowling (13-0-51-5), spurred on by Danny Gibson who put in a telling spell of 7-3-13-2 to reduce the Cavaliers to 61-8.

Shabir Dad and Liaqat Ali scrambled 18 runs only to see Bottomley (6.3-1-9-3) return to snaffle the last two wickets as Belvoir completed a brilliant 59-run win.

Also of note was Dan Wilson’s fine slip catch to see off the dangerous Waheed Kayani, and three excellent takes of swirling steeplers by Sam Nightingale and

Olly Clayfield.