Spital got an early breakthrough when Toby Blair trapped Lomas LBW and shortly after Shaw was caught behind for three from the bowling of Ryalls.

After the early collapse, however, the Clements brothers, Peter and David, went on the ascendancy and despatched any bad ball to the boundary.

With Blackwell on the front foot, Spital made mistakes in the field and only when fourth change bowler Jamie Horton came into the attack, did Spital get a breakthrough when David Clements was bowled for 37, sharing in a partnership of 85 with his brother.

Peter Clements continued his attack on the Spital bowling but wickets continued to fall at the opposite end and with four overs left Clements fell caught and bowled to Gavin Horton for an outstanding 84 on a wicket that belied its reputation.

Blackwell closed on 163-8 with Blair picking up a credible 3-21 and Gavin Horton 3-30.

In reply Spital opened with Jones and veteran Edwin Horton.

After the first five overs they had only put six onto the scoreboard as they made a cautious start.

Thereafter they increased the pace but lost their first wicket on 55 when Horton was caught by Brailsford from the bowling of Bunning for 32.

Norman Dolling joined Jones and took the score to just over half way towards their target when Dolling was caught by Flintham for 19.

Skipper Ryalls joined Jones and both players played sensibly and both looked assured until Jones was out for 35, trapped LBW by P. Clements.

Spital endured their own mini collapse and when Ryalls was run out by a direct hit by Williams, the game was poised to go either way.

In the tense circumstances it appeared that Blackwell skipper Williams made an error of judgement.

Blackwell had rotated four bowlers but by bringing Bunning on to bowl his two remaining overs, at a differenet end to which he had bowled earlier, they were left without a regular bowler to bowl the penultimate over.

It fell to the unfortunate Nick Tideswell who had not bowled for over a year and Blair despatched his first two balls for boundaries and secured victory from the next ball to give Spital victory with one over to spare.

The game was played in an excellent Corinthian spirit and Blackwell put up a real fight against a side much higher in the table.

Spital 18 points, Blackwell MW 5 points.