Six-a-Side Best Ever as Acle Win a Thrilling Final

Melton's Bank Holiday Sixes competition was blessed with perfect weather, large crowds but not quite a perfect ending as the Melton's 1st Team were beaten in a close final by Acle.  It was an exciting finish to an excellent competition with Acle's tight bowling restricting Melton to a below-par total of 50.  It looked all over for the hosts with Tom Wilson and player-of-the-tournament, Josh Rowe plundering 33 runs of Martyn Cook and Chris Greenslade's first 2 overs.  Another 12 runs off Michael Farmer left Acle with just 6 to win with 2 overs left.  However, Richard Waddell conceded just 4 and took the vital wicket of Wilson but, even with Rowe retiring having reached 25, Acle only needed 2 to win off the final six balls.  Kieron Pask, who had earlier given Melton something approaching a defendable total with a quick 20, then produced a superb last over.  Two dot balls, two wickets (Spaxman and Josh Wilson clean bowled) and a single meant the scores were level with one ball left.  Pask's final delivery went through to keeper George Ducker who couldn't quite hold on to the ball and the batsmen scrambled through for a single to give Acle victory.

The previous year's winners, Norwich Jokers, tasted first round defeat at the hands of Great Melton A and saw skipper Aaron Watson taken to hospital with a shoulder injury, but won the Plate competition, beating Bunwell by 8 runs in the final.  Other teams competing were Horsford, Anglia T.V. and Taylor's Six, captained by Swardeston's Neil Taylor.

Acle's Josh Rowe was selected by Martyn Cook and Steve Phoenix as Player of the Tournament having scored 86 runs without being dismissed as well as bowling spells of 0-7 and 0-4 but there were some fine performances from Kieron Pask, Chris Greenslade and Richard Waddell (Great Melton 1st), Sam Mann ((Great Melton A), Neil Taylor & Matt Taylor (Taylor's Six), Matt Plater (Horsford) and Dominic Matarazzo (Norwich) and some fantastic catches, notably by Joe Bickel which provided fine entertainment for a larger-than-usual crowd.

Match commentary on the final by Anglia T.V.'s Jim Rice and Donovan Blake plus an amusing ‘guest' commentary by Acle's Geoff Handley added to the fun.  The bar and barbecue was busy and a very successful day brought in over £1400.

Thanks to Martyn Cook for all his work in organising the event; to all the teams for competing; to Steve Clarke, Joanne Brook and Maria Greenslade for the barbecue; to Neal Clarke and John Burdett for the bar; to Gary Coulson, Leo deSalis, Tony Alborough and Robin Hewetson for umpiring; to Alison Clarke, Jill Hustler and Rebecca Greenslade for their fundraising; to Mike Phoenix for the ground; and to all the others like Marcus and Daryl Godbold and Geoff Cook who helped with the preparations and generally on the day.

Steve Phoenix