AFTER a cautious start on what looked like a bowler-friendly wicket, Hampton Park found themselves up against it at 25-3 against Fair Oak III.

This brought P. O'Sulli-van and G. Stafford together, who frustrated the bowlers with a stand of 20 which ended when Stafford, 14, was caught behind off the left arm bowling of M. Benham, 9-15-2.

G. Keen was the next man in and he produced some clinical hitting and good running before both O'Sullivan, nine, and Keen, 33, fell in quick succession to the impressive Mash, 9-26-6, leaving Hampton uneasily placed at 88-5. They eventually struggled to 92 all out in 34 overs.

Park knew they had to take early wickets and also keep the run rate down with Fair Oak only needing 93 to win. After the 15th over they were in a great deal of trouble at 19-2 due to the excellent opening spells of L. Higgins and M. Potter.

Fair Oak still only needed 74 to win and with Boughton and Benham batting they had a chance. The next 12 overs produced 40 runs and one wicket, Broughton for 16. This left them needing the seemingly easy 34 off 15 overs with seven wickets left, prompting a change in the bowling with Hig-gins, 12-18-2, and Potter, 12-16-1, both returning.

Fair Oak were confident with Stewart and Benham still in bat, but their optimism was shattered in the last six overs when they only needed 14 runs.

Benham was bowled by Stafford for 25 and Stewart went for 24. Fair Oak were left chasing four runs in the last over. The first two balls were dots, then a wicket fell, a man was run out and another wicket fell which left the game tantalizingly poised. The drama was complete when Stafford, 11-29-3, bowled the last ball and only conceded one run, making Park improbable victors by a single run.