Amateur win the championship
HINCKLEY Amateur clinched the Division 3 championship with a resounding win against Melton Mowbray.
Putting the opposition in to bat, Ash Harrison (2-30), Alan York (2-37), and Jamie Harris-Ensor (3-46) reduced the home side to 60-7 as they struggled in the damp conditions.
A rain shower reduced the innings to 40 overs then a stubborn eighth wicket partnership of 80 between Pete Humphries and Ben Redwood held the Amateurs up as the home side recovered to 149-8.
James Axon departed with the score on 24, then Jason Tipping and Shoyab Dadu shared a 28 run partnership.
As another shower reduced the innings to 36 overs, Dadu was out for 20, then the big hitting Ed Proctor hit a quickfire 22.
At 80-3 there were some nerves but Alan York - with an unbeaten 49 - and the in-form Jason Tipping, who got to his 50 when he scored the winning runs, guided the side home with seven wickets in hand securing top spot in the division at the end of the season.
After missing out last year on the final game skipper Alan York praised his young side and the whole club’s team effort.
He is already looking forward to a higher standard of cricket next year.
Amateur 2nd XI lost to Rothley Park by four wickets.
On another damp wicket Amateur struggled to score quickly with Garry Roach 28 and Pal Ley 20 top-scoring as they posted 125-8.
Rothley lost wickets at regular intervals in reply as part time bowler Wayne Sylvester took a career best 4-16 but they came out on top with four wickets to spare.