South Notts League: Belvoir pipped in titanic run feast

A sublime off drive to the boundary summed up a classy knock from Olly Clayfield, cruelly run out four shy of a century as he and captain Lewis Dann (120) added 165 for Belvoir’s fourth wicket in 30 overs.

From a cautious start, Dann moved through a busy accumulation of quick singles to outright attack, with three big sixes, as his last 70 runs came from just 49 balls.

He was supported by Sam Penford’s run-a-ball 28 as Belvoir posted 293-7.

In reply, Ben Buckley rushed to 32 before his opening partner had got off the mark, but both were reined in by a fired-up Joe Bottomley and Andy Dann.

Jamie Gilbertson took the first wicket, bowling Buckley behind his legs for 80 before Matt Dean (49) was snaffled by Danny Wilson off the persistent Bottomley who added a second in his next over when he castled Josh Bembridge.

Kimberley now needed 141 at more than eight per over, but John Terry (73 not out) and Danny Williams (34) pillaged 52 from 38 balls until Williams was brilliantly caught running up the slope by Fraser Fentem.

Archie Moore (18) added to the entertainment before he was bowled by Fentem and when a crazy run-out brought captain Carl Blake to the wicket, the required rate was nine.

Blake and Terry plundered 21 from the next two overs before being stifled by Bottomley (16-0-79-3). But Terry launched two big sixes and Blake thumped a four in the next over, and fittingly it was Terry who clinched the win in the 49th over with three more powerful boundaries.