Barrow Town lift county cup
A WARM and sunny September Sunday at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road was the setting for the 2018 L&RCL County Cup Final, contested between Barrow Town and Loughborough Town, who had beaten last year’s winners Kibworth and Langtons respectively in the semis.
Barrow captain Ramesh Kara won the toss and elected to bat. Openers Kara and Rishi Patel made steady progress against the attack of Ashish Trusz and Nil Patel, and after 16 overs, with only 4 boundaries, Barrow were 69 without loss.
A change of bowling saw George Kenny remove Rishi (23) and Jack Nightingale (3) in each of his first two overs.
Kara and wicketkeeper Rahul Avtar then added 64 in 50 balls for the third wicket before Avtar fell for 34 in Kaz Saddington’s first over. Kara, having been dropped in the second over and again later, was fourth man out for 77, again after a bowling switch back to Nil Patel, with the score on 148. Neil Gandhi picked up the wicket of Yash Ramesh (9), and Saddington struck again, bowling Sal- gotra for 18, Barrow on 184 for 6 after 33. Chanditha (33) and Dansuclal (23) then added 50 in 34 balls and Barrow’s 40 overs concluded at 237 for 8. Wickets were shared – two each for Kenny, Saddington and Nil Patel, and one for Gandhi.
The Loughborough Town reply began briskly with 20 from the first 2 overs, but Shyam Patel (10) was bowled in the fourth over at 25 for 1. Anish Patel (30) and Ashish Trusz (34) took Loughborough to 90 for 3 after 18.
Sam Bates (9) went at 111, then Charles Lowen and Neil Gandhi took control, adding 65 in 53 balls, and at 179 for 4 after 32 overs the match was well balanced. Ghandi (22) and Lowen (69) fell in consecutive overs, Town on 197 for 6 after 35, still needing 41 from 42 balls.
Wickets then tumbled, four in 10 balls, and Loughborough were all out for 201 in 37 overs, triggering the Barrow celebrations and collection of the silverware. Barrow wickettakers were Dansuclal 4-36, Salgotra 3-26 and Chanditha 3-31.