VI Sharks Edge Cup Thriller

On Saturday 18th July the Sussex Sharks Visually Impaired XI hosted London Metro in the Semi Final of the BCEW Primary Club Heindrich Swanepoel Memorial Cup at the Blackstone Academy Ground. 

This was a repeat of last year's final which had gone down to the final ball and saw Sussex get home by just 2 wickets. The coin was flipped and Metro Captain Rory Field called correctly and asked the Sharks to have a bat.

The Sharks started steadily losing their first wicket in the 10th over with the score on 72, but Metro had bowled 8 of their 9 overs delivered by totally blind players which traditionally go for more runs. Callum Weir (46) was the next to fall on 102 scoring at exactly a  run a ball. The Metro bowlers were very disciplined and restricted the usually free scoring Sharks middle order to around 6-7 runs per over. Dan Field (52) and Si Ledwith (30) pushed the score up towards the 200 mark, the last few overs saw wickets tumble as the Sharks pushed for extra runs and the final tally was 209-9. Setting Metro exactly 7 an over to win the game. 

Mo Gallib was unlucky to go wicketless but his 6 overs went for just 20 runs, Mike Shay was the pick of Metro’s bowlers returning 3-36, Javed Patel also chipped in with 2-34.

The Metro reply started steadily with the openers looking to keep the scoreboard ticking rather than hit out and get ahead of the rate. When Marcus Kipling (2-28) took 2 wickets in 2 balls Metro were teetering on 76-4. There was then a stand of exactly 100 that threatened to turn the game in Metro's favour. Damion Corrigan (63) including 8 boundaries was run out with Metro needing just another 34 to win with 5 overs remaining. 

Two tight overs meant it was 26 to win off 3 overs but Ian 'Tiny' Morris had to come back to bowl the 28th and 30th, his first over had been taken for 18 so it was clear that Metro had been waiting for this opportunity. Hardik Patel was the set batter but on the third ball of the 28th over, hit the ball miles in the air and 15 year old Deacon Finn took a fabulous catch to effectively end Metro's hopes. The last 15 balls saw a run out, a wicket maiden and singles but when time was called Metro were still 14 short at 195-9.

It was another epic match between these two rivals, you have to go back to 2016 to find a Cup Final in which neither team has appeared. In the other Semi Final it was a close finish with Northants getting home with 3 balls to spare over Kent in a high scoring match.

Sussex vs Northants was the final line up in both 2023 and 2024 with the sides winning one apiece, so onto the final on Saturday 4th September to see who gets the best of three.

View the full match scorecard here.

Match Report courtesy of Ian 'Tiny' Morris