KIDMORE End were crowned champions of the Reading Midweek League’s Keith Mitchell Memorial Cup after they secured a thrilling, final-over, two-wicket win against Friends XI on Thursday, writes Max Baker-Smith.

Phil Lines, the Friends XI captain, won the toss and elected to bat first in a 12 eight-ball-over per side match, played at Kidmore’s home ground.

Openers Joe Brown and Lines started briskly, scoring a rapid 24 runs in the first two overs before Kidmore captain James Frost (4-20) clean bowled the former Brown (17).

Kidmore’s bowling attack, supported by good fielding, pressured the middle order into a collapse, with the score strangled to 45-5 after six6 overs.

Barney Hogg (39), batting at number three for Friends, helped see them to 93-6, with the last over costing 21 as his side gave themselves a chance.

Friends XI bowled and fielded throughout the defence of their total, and they stopped Kidmore from getting away from them in the early exchanges.

Opening bowler Harry Spear (2-27) struck with his fourth delivery to send back Guy Ashby back cheaply, although Abid Ul-Wahab then counter-attacked to take the score to 37 in the fifth over before he was brilliantly caught by Chris DeFranco on the long leg boundary.

Captain Lines (4-25) produced a magnificent spell of off spin to keep his side in the game, and any result was possible when Joe Waldron’s excellent innings of 47 was ended to leave Kidmore 90-8 going into the final over of the encounter.

This heralded the arrival of the experienced Frost, and although only one run came from the opening three balls, he hit a straight six back over the bowler’s head to win the game for his side, with Kidmore claiming an exciting triumph with only four balls and two wickets to spare.