Bexley crowned National Club champions after beating Nantwich in Lord’s thriller

Bexley are the new ECB National Club champions after they beat Nantwich by one run in an incredible Lord’s final.

The day began with a poignant minute’s silence in tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, two days before her funeral a few miles down the road at Westminster Abbey.

Bexley made a positive start after being inserted by 2019 runners-up Nantwich, with Shaun Evans punching the first of several fours to the short boundary.

Nantwich bowler Jimmy Warrington took 40 wickets in the league this season but was left frustrated as Evans swotted him for back-to-back boundaries, Bexley off to a flier.

But prolific wicket-taker Warrington made the breakthrough as Aiden Griggs, who scored two centuries this summer, was caught at point.

Despite the setback, Bexley continued to make good progress, reaching 50 in the ninth over, and Evans advanced down the wicket and whipped Mitchell Spencer over mid-wicket for the first six of the day.

That shot brought up his half-century, coming off just 37 balls, and No. 3 George Haley was also quickly into his stride, lofting Spencer for four as Bexley moved to 92-1.

But Nantwich, who have won five Cheshire league titles since 2010, then enjoyed their best spell with the ball, taking three wickets for just six runs.

Raymond Doyle sparked the collapse, finding Haley’s edge with his second ball, and Evans fell for 56 from 47 deliveries in the next over, Olivier Griffiths the man celebrating the wicket this time.

Doyle continued to impress and had figures of 2-3 after three overs as Adam Ball was caught at cover.

Matt Stiddard and Ben Aldred had the task of rebuilding the innings and took the total to 136 before Stiddard was bowled by the impressive Griffiths.

With 13 overs remaining and Bexley struggling for fluency, Nantwich sensed an opportunity to stifle the innings, although the Kent side were applauding their 150 when Callum Basey drove down to the pavilion for four.

Aldred kept the scoreboard ticking, hitting two reverse-sweeps to the boundary as he reached an excellent fifty from 51 balls.

The 18-year-old then clipped Doyle into the stands and hit another six off Stockton; the latter arguably the shot of the day.

Both Aldred (68) and Basey (27) fell in the 37th over but not before taking 2021 Kent Premier League champions Bexley past 200.

Nantwich wicketkeeper Spencer Byatt then produced a brilliant leg-side stumping but Bexley captain Adam Riley ensured the innings finished with a flourish, two emphatic boundaries taking his team to 241-8.

In reply, Cheshire side Nantwich were dealt an early blow when captain Doyle fell for a first-ball duck, former Kent all-rounder Ball finding the edge to strike in his first over.

Marcus Stables, who has enjoyed a sensational debut season at Nantwich, was cautious early on but eased the pressure with a cover-drive for six off Jas Singh as his side reached 33/1 after 10 overs.

Stables targeted the short boundary, sweeping spinner Freddie Foster for two more sixes before hitting Riley for back-to-back boundaries, Nantwich reaching 50 in the 12th over.

But Riley, who made 61 first-class appearances for Kent, responded by trapping opener Chris Simpson lbw.

Foster was given the unenviable task of defending the short leg-side boundary and twice saw the ball fly into the stands, both Stables and Robinson clearing the ropes.

Stables scored more than 1,400 runs this summer and reached his tenth fifty when he fortuitously edged Riley past the wicketkeeper.

But his innings came to a heartbreaking end shortly after as he was run out at the non-striker’s end, Riley managing to parry a Luke Robinson drive back onto the stumps.

Robinson attempted to maintain Nantwich’s momentum – racing to 20 from 12 balls – but Foster got through Jake Pearson’s defences to leave the side 91-4.

While Bexley – based in south-east London – appeared on top, Robinson continued to bat brilliantly, smashing his way to a 32-ball fifty.

Nantwich’s No. 4 continued the onslaught as the match went down to the wire, although Bexley thought they had removed the dangerman when Basey threw down the stumps from mid-wicket, only to see umpire Jasmine Naeem favouring with the batsman.

But Robinson’s reprieve was short-lived as the returning Ball prompted a rare mis-hit and Anish Patel held his nerve to take a fine catch at short fine-leg.

Nantwich lost two more quick wickets – Stockton run out following a mix-up and Byatt brilliantly caught in the deep by Evans – as Bexley appeared to close in on victory.

But Byatt and Scott Wardley took 17 from the 38th over to leave 18 to win from the final 18 balls.

That equation became eight from six when Ball, who made 101 appearances for Kent, knocked over Wardley just when Nantwich sensed they were about to avenge their defeat at this ground in 2019.

Byatt, having just passed a fluent fifty, turned down a single off the first ball of the final over and then found the gap to scamper two, before hitting a superb reverse-sweep to the ropes.

Nantwich were almost home with two needed from three balls but Byatt played the fourth ball of the over to mid-wicket before missing the penultimate delivery.

With two still required from the final ball, Byatt could only mistime a full delivery back to Evans, who ran out the non-striker to secure a remarkable one-run win.

All that was left was for Riley and his Bexley team to collect the trophy and celebrate becoming the 2022 ECB National Club champions.

Nantwich CC: Raymond Doyle*, Chris Simpson, Marcus Stables, Luke Robinson, Jake Pearson, Spencer Byatt†, Philip Stockton, Oliver Griffiths, Scott Wardley, Mitchell Spencer, Jimmy Warrington, Robert Cook-Sievewright

Bexley CC: Aiden Griggs, Shaun Evans, George Haley, Matthew Stiddard, Adam Ball, Benjamin Aldred†, Calum Basey, Adam Riley*, Freddie Foster, Jaskaran Singh, Anish Patel, Fraser McWhinnie, Harry Turner, Oliver Smith

Umpires: Andrew McCree & Jasmine Naeem
Scorers: Ricky Rebelo & Richard Meyrick

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