Staffordshire came agonisingly close to retaining their NCCA Championship Division One East title after a dramatic final day against Cambridgeshire.
Staffs had their hosts nine wickets down with two overs to go at Peterborough, but just couldn’t find that last piece of magic to keep hold of their crown.
They had set Cambridgeshire 244 for victory after declaring late in the afternoon session, which was affected by the rain.
And it didn’t look like there would be any early evening fireworks as Cambridgeshire made their way to 30-0 at tea.
But as Staffs set attacking fields in the final chapter, Cambs took the aggressive approach and put themselves in a position to win the match.
However, despite Ben Saunders making a rapid 52 and Will Routledge earlier chipping in with 43, Cambs eventually drew stumps on 224-9.
Those statistics just scratch the surface of an enthralling last session in which both Staffs and Cambs could claim to hold the advantage at various points.
As it was, there wasn’t an outright winner and there would have been a mighty sigh of relief in Buckinghamshire as they were crowned champions after seeing their clash with Lincs abandoned earlier in the day.
‘Huge amount of pride’
It was one heck of an effort from James Kettleborough’s players as they inched to within just one wicket of securing victory.
A decision or two may have fallen in their favour on another day, but there was no doubting that Staffs had risen to the challenge in the dying embers of the contest.
They managed to make the breakthrough early in the evening passage of play when Wayne White looked to slog off-spinner Jack Batchelor, but was bowled for 22.
And 50-1 soon became 50-2 when left-arm spinner Tom Brett trapped Callum Guest lbw for 26.
That left the visitors with two new batters to get their teeth into, but Cambridgeshire were in no mood to give Staffs an easy ride.
They latched on to anything short of a length and found the boundary fairly regularly, while also scampering between the wickets to good effect.
Ben Claydon and Routledge added 48 for the third wicket before Batchelor struck again when the former inside edged on to his stumps for 25.
Alex Peirson entered the arena and helped to advance the score to 121 before he departed for 19.
He looked to take spinner Brett down town, but didn’t get enough of the ball and was snapped up by a tumbling Pete Wilshaw back pedalling from mid-off.
Staffs sensed a chance now and even more so when Brett won an lbw verdict against Aum Patel (2) to leave Cambs 123-5.
‘Sixty minutes to win it’
The final hour of the contest – in which a minimum of 16 overs have to be bowled – saw Staffs needing five wickets to be title winners, while Cambs were still in the hunt run wise.
Routledge was looking in fine fettle, but he exited with the total on 151. He looked to smash Batchelor back straight, but only presented the spinner with a sharp return catch.
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It was Staffordshire in the driving seat at that juncture, but Lee Thomason and Ben Saunders weren’t about to give up the chase for the home side.
Cambs, to their credit, didn’t shut up shop and continued to play their shots as they looked to mark their first season back in Division One East with a win.
They added 70 for the seventh wicket and had put their side in a position of power as they still had plenty of time to knock off the runs.
‘Late drama’
However, there was another twist in the tail when paceman Liam Hurt returned to account for Saunders.
Saunders, who hit six fours and one six in his innings, spooned a catch to Niall McHale at backward point.
And Brett then struck twice in the 41st over to raise Staffordshire’s hopes once more.
He had James Cox stumped by Jack Hammond – a concussion sub for the injured Callum Hawkins – first ball, and then secured another lbw to dismiss Ethan Rice.
That left Staffordshire with 12 balls to part the final pair of Thomason and Matt Rees… but that just eluded them.
Staffs had started the day on 68-1 and leading by just 20 runs as they looked to find a way to force victory.
The expected rain didn’t interrupt play as much as the forecast suggested, and Staffs managed to make decent progress in the morning.
Captain Kettleborough led the way with 88, which contained 10 fours, while Sam Atkinson compiled a well-crafted 57, hitting seven boundaries in the process.
Staffs took lunch on 202-4 – with Kettleborough, Atkinson and Niall McHale (14) the men to perish.
‘Hitting out’
But former Meakins team-mates Michael Hill and Wilshaw were in residence and enjoyed some early afternoon fun as they seemed to be trying to see who could hit the ball the furthest.
Hill was run out for 46, with Hurt and Hammond also exiting fairly quickly. Wilshaw reached 47 not out before Kettleborough pulled the plug.
Cambs openers White and Guest navigated their way through the eight overs to tea – leaving Staffordshire with an uphill task in the final session.
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However, Brett (5-79) and Batchelor (3-108) weaved their magic to keep Staffordshire in contention to be top of the pile again.
It came down to the final 12 balls as Thomason and Rees looked to deny Hurt and Brett that elusive final wicket which would have booked Staffs’ ticket to the Championship final against Devon at West Bromwich Dartmouth, starting on Sunday.
It was the Cambs duo who managed to hold out to salvage a draw and bring an end to a breathless evening session.
Staffs walked off disappointed that they couldn’t take that final step, but hugely proud of their efforts.
So near, yet so far.
Main image: Staffordshire captain James Kettleborough top-scored with 88 on the final day of the NCCA Championship game against Cambs at Peterborough. Picture: Andy Dann