Broadstairs Cricket Club narrowly beaten to Lord’s indoor championship top spot

Broadstairs Cricket Club were runners-up at the Lord’s Final of the ECB Indoor National Club Championship

Broadstairs Cricket Club were runners-up at the Lord’s Final of the ECB Indoor National Club Championship after being narrowly beaten by two wickets by Hagley CC from Worcestershire.

The final saw Hagley asking Broadstairs to bat first and after losing Andrew Bailey for 6 bowled by Stead, Elliot Fox and Isaac Dilkes scored well before Fox retired on 25. Captain Andy Marshall was quickly run out for 2 and then Dilkes was also run out for 23. Nightingale then bowled Matthew Frewin for 19 before trapping Like Palmer for 1 LBW to leave Broadstairs 79-5. Fox returned and played a brilliant innings and kept going to the end of the 12 overs, ending on 62 not out as Broadstairs reached 114-5.

Broadstairs had the perfect start as Hagley captain Joe Lennon was run out by Marshall for 1, but this brought together Nightingale and Stead. Both reached 25 before retiring but that saw Broadstairs regain the initiative as Fox dismissed Daniel Giles first ball before Ed Rhodes was bowled by Dilkes for 3. Jon McDonnell paired up with the returning Stead and they added 25 before McDonnell was run out by Fox for 16, but this brought Nightingale back and he and Stead showed excellent indoor batting to guide their team to victory, Stead finishing unbeaten on 49 and Nightingale on 37.

Earlier in the day, Broadstairs had beaten the University of Exeter CC by 30 runs in the first Semi Final. After setting an impressive 145-3, Dilkes (33), Fox (31) and Marshall (25) getting the runs, University of Exeter were all out for 115 despite the efforts of Ross Powell who hit 53.