Narrow win puts Ayton on course for Abu Dhabi trip
GREAT Ayton, the top Yorkshire team in the Darlington Building Society NYSD ECB Premier League this season, met one of their county counterparts in Scarborough yesterday in a game which puts them on the road to the Middle East.
Taking on Pudsey St Lawrence in the Yorkshire Premier League Championship play-off match, Ayton won the toss and decided to bat first.
Mitch Davis was their batting hero, scoring 79 from 97 balls, which included eight fours and two sixes.
Professional Pitigala Jeewantha added 31, which included three sixes, in a total of 179 all out.
On the bowling front for Pudsey, skipper Chris Marsden claimed an excellent 5-28 from 8.3 overs.
In reply, the champions of the Bradford Premier League, scored 161 all out, with Mark Robertshaw making 39.
Joe Marsay took 4-48 from 12.1 overs, backed up by Jeewantha claiming 4-34, to win the game by only 18 runs.
Ayton will now meet the winners of the game between Wakefield Thornes (champions of the Yorkshire South Premier League) and York (champions of the Yorkshire Premier League North), at Headingley Stadium in the final, next Saturday.
For the winners of that game, a week-long trip to Abu Dhabi next month will follow, during which they will play in a day-night Final. Great Ayton’s Pitigala Jeewantha bowling Chris Batchelor of Great Ayton