Persimmon Village Cup

CHARLIE Brain’s five-wicket haul saw Shipton-under-Wych-wood into the last 16 of the in a crazy clash at Goatacre on Sunday, writes Ed Mezzetti.

The bare facts are that Shipton beat the Wiltshire champions by six wickets after fewer than 90 minutes of play.

But they fail to tell the story of a game that will live long in the memory of spectators – or at least those who arrived in time to catch the action.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Goatacre, former winners of the competition, were skittled for 26 – a record low total in the national rounds.

The hosts’ innings lasted fewer than 16 overs, while Shipton lost two early wickets and then two more with the score on 26.

A surreal match was over at 2.30pm when Jack Haines bowled his fifth wide of an expensive spell, leaving players and spectators scratching their heads in disbelief.

Goatacre were soon in big trouble at 2-4 as Brain and youngster George Seacole did the damage.

A mixture of tight bowling and injudicious batting put Shipton in an unbelievable position.

Jif Wilkins and Mike Elton were the only Goatacre batsmen to score more than two, with their seventh-wicket st-and of ten by far the hosts’ highest partnership.

Shipton fielded superbly for their part on a day when everything came off for them.

Paul Hemming took a fine catch on the boundary, while Brain pulled off an even better caught-and-bowled effort.

Seacole was given a rest after six fine overs and spinner Shaun Miller wrapped up the tail with three wickets in ten balls.

Shipton lost Tim Senior and Brain during an early wobble.

But Simon Hole and Steve Bates looked to have set up an eight-wicket win, helped by Haines’s four wides in his second over.

Hole flicked a six over mid-wicket before he and Bates were both caught by Brad Daw-son at slip when a pushed single would have sufficed.

Andy Hemming, who had taken three catches behind the stumps, didn’t get to face a legitimate ball before it was all over.

Shipton will now visit Carew on July 10.