Lodway 1sts progressed to the next round of the Tony Hitch Cup with a comprehensive victory against Stapleton, who play in the division above, at a sun-drenched Ham Green on Wednesday evening.

Choosing to bat first, Stapleton’s innings got off to the worst possible start, as a direct hit from Rimon at backward point dismissed non-striker Lambert on the first ball, and the visitors never really recovered from that early setback, struggling to break the shackles of the tight bowling of stand-in skipper Ben Stitfall (0-14) and Caolan Pearce (2-15). When Paul Stubbs also scored a direct hit run out, Lodway knew it was their night, and change bowlers Min Metcalfe (0-8, but who deserved at least a caught behind or a stumping from Edmonds) and Ryan Rice (2-24) did not let the pressure ease. Sam Millard played a lone hand for Stapleton, scoring 3 of the 6 boundaries in the innings, but, with Rimon (2-13) and Matty W Crutchley (1-4) taking wickets at the other end, he was left stranded on 24* as the final wicket fell in the last over for 80.

With the required run rate only a decimal point above 4, Lodway openers Stitfall and Adam Robson took the serene route to the target, reaching 25-0 after 5 overs, before the introduction of Babar Pervaiz set home nerves jangling as he pinned Robson palpably LBW with his first ball, and followed that with three more wickets to leave Lodway tottering on 35-4 as Babar finished with 4-15. It was left to Stubbs to channel a flight path through the temporary turbulence, striking six boundaries, and, although Syed dismissed Pearce for 9 with 31 still required, with Stubbs at the controls, victory was soon achieved, the winning four struck with more than 4 overs to spare as Stubbs landed on an unbeaten 27.

Lodway now travel over the hills to Barrow Gurney on June 11th, hoping to progress on a long and successful cup run.