AFTER putting in their best bowling and fielding performance of the season, Thriplow’s batsmen contrived to somehow lose at Newton on Saturday.

Newton chose to bat on a wicket where batting was never going to be easy and they were soon in trouble as Dixon struck with a caught and bowled in his second over.

Two more wickets for Dixon (3-15), including a steepling catch to Simms, plus two for Bright (2-11), left Newton in desperate trouble. When Jansen (1-11) joined the fun with a wicket thanks to a catch by Bright it got worse still. On 40-6 Thriplow’s otherwise faultless performance in the field looked to have it’s first blemish as Hays fumbled in the outfield. However this caused confusion as to whether a second run was available and Hays was able to run out Newton’s last danger man, with the remaining three wickets falling quickly to Wilson (3-5) leaving Newton all out for a paltry 43.

Despite losing Collins lbw in the first over, Hart and Cressy looked assured and at 11-1 and there was no hint of the carnage that was about to unfold.

When Cressy departed, Thriplow’s middle order came and went in the blink of an eye as they were unable to cope with the guile of Bolt and Aspinal and at 17-6 Thriplow were looking straight down the barrel.

After surviving a hat-trick ball from Bolt, Bright joined Hyman at the crease and the two of them restored some much-needed calm to the innings.

But just as Thriplow sensed they had weathered the storm, Bright was run out going for a quick single and was immediately followed by Dixon – leaving Thriplow 27-8.

After settling himself in, a short ball was despatched by Wilson for Thriplow’s first boundary and the next ball was dispatched into the cow field for 6.

At 39-8 the game looked like it may have swung back to Thriplow, but when Hyman was bowled by Bolt (5-17) the second ball of the next over it was down to the last pair of Wilson and Jansen.

Last man Jansen defended the next three balls solidly, but off the last ball they raced for a single hoping there maybe two, but there was only ever going to be one. This meant Jansen had to face Aspinal’s last over, but after defending the first two Jansen was undone by one that held up and was out caught and bowled by Aspinal (4-21) to leave Newton winners by three runs in one of the strangest games of cricket most of the participants had ever played in.