AFTER a three week absence of cricket Newland secured a thrilling one wicket victory with thirteen-year-old Mike Genever guiding his side home in this division five encounter that condemned Stone to relegation.

NEWLAND v STONE

Stone needing to secure maximum points elected to bat and found the normally reliable Newland wicket seaming around. With both sides starting with nine it was a circumspect Stone as Rouse and Spiers used the conditions, Rouse in particular being particularly mean. The Stone openers had taken the score to 33 before Newland were able field with their full complement and then Rouse uprooted both openers in three balls, Smith 12 and Dean Aldridge 19.

Batsford didn't last long before becoming Rouse's third victim as the Newland veteran yielded three wickets for thirteen in his twelve overs.

A partnership of 47 frustrated Newland, though with the overs running out Powell tried to up the tempo but Churchill was rewarded for his hostile spell when the first catch of the season was taken off his bowling, caught and bowled. Briggs did find the boundary but Young extracted some revenge when he was bowled for 38.

Some late hitting by Hatton (27no) did see his side past 130 but the return of Spiers (3-48) saw to it that Stone were 141 all out.

The Newland response had the unfamiliar ring as prolific openers Freeman and Genever were soon showering. It was left to Birch and Beavon to build the platform for a Newland victory. Matters were well in hand as Newland cruised towards their victory target until Hatton had Beavon brilliantly caught on the square leg boundary for 17.

At 97 for 3 Newland were still in control until Hatton extracted revenge for some Birch brutality, the spinner deceived Birch with the one that didn't turn and Birch was back in the pavilion for 47.

White perished for 13 as Hatton (4-50) wreaked havoc with the Newland middle order and when youngster Kev Edmunds fell for 11 Newland were still 26 runs short of their winning target.

Durnell was brought back and immediately had Newland reeling and the ninth wicket fell with 13 runs required. In walked Mike Genever, Rouse gave him words of encouragement and promptly tried to run the youngster out, only a wild throw seeing Genever survive.

That scare over the pair painstakingly ensured that their wicket remained intact and that the winning post got ever closer, Rouse brought the scores level with a crashing square drive.

Three tense maidens followed before Genever latched onto to short one to secure victory for Newland by one wicket.