Sway III  131ao, Sway II 105

Sway III made history becoming the first Sway side ever to beat a higher Sway side in an exciting an an exciting game.

Sway II on paper had the ability but Sway III was packed full of experience and 3rd team skipper Steve Keen knew an upset was potentially on the cards.

Sway II won the toss and elected to field first. Right from the start Dan Stevenson and Ian Stone batted superbly for the thirds  - no heroics, just  working the side walls. This combined with some loose bowing and slack fielding meant that the score was well over 50 before Stone was exceeding unlucky to be bowled in bizarre fashion - the ball hitting the ceiling before bouncing back onto the stumps [how can this have been out? - surely if hit hit the ball on the side wall and it bounces back and hits your stumps then that is not out then surely the same must apply to the ceiling?]. Keen came to the wicket and continued where Stone had left off. For some reason only known to himself Steve Keen threw a lifetime of caution to one side and for one ball only went on the attack to club a wide Rob Steadman delivery for 6 - his first in any form of cricket! Stevenson (23), Keen (20) and young Sam Nailor (3) on his debut all contributed to a hatrick of run-outs for Dave Marshall, however, the score kept moving on. Matt Brearley at number 5 was playing the ideal indoor innings - one that no one really remembers; quietly working the walls for 3 runs a time. Marshall bowled last man Steve Drayton to leave Brearley on his own but it was not until the last over that Brearley chipped a catch to Ross Clark for a caught & bowled and by that point the 3rds had racked up and impressive 131 runs (inc 34 extras!) setting a tricky chase of over 10 an over. 

The experienced pairing of Rick How and Steve Hannibal opened for the 2nds, however Hanni was soon back in the hutch for just 2 and was followed shortly afterwards by Ross Clark (3). The 2nds were now in deep trouble the 3rds sensed victory as they continued to bowl and field well. Rob Steadman (16) and Rick How (17) just about kept up with the run chase however the seconds problems deepened when Rick How was dismissed. The pairing of Dave Marshall and Rob Steadman still had the potential to win the game however when Steadman conspired to run himself out, the 3rds looked to be well on course for the win. Perennial rabbit with the bat Matt Bramwell contributed to another cricketing rarity - a Steve Drayton catch, leaving Marshall batting on his own to try and win the game. For a while it looked like the 2nds might just secure a very much undeserved victory as Marshall produced his usual array of agricultural strokes - with 3 overs remaining the 2nds needed a potentially achievable 27 to win. In a gamble Keen brought Sam Nailor back on to bowl - Marshall had observed a series of short balls in Nailor's first over to was braced to get on the back foot. Young Sam however came round the wicket and produced a cracking full length inswinger to bowl Marshall (40) and secure a superb and well-deserved win for the 3rds.