Guiseley CC Under-12s won the Gordon Bowers Competition for the first time in their history with a 30 run win over Pudsey St Lawrence in front of a large crowd at Undercliffe CC.
The competition is played in teams of eight batting in pairs for four overs each (five in the final) and each side starts with 200 runs losing eight runs per wicket.
It started in May with 40 teams entering from Bradford, Kirklees, Heavy Woollen and the Airedale and Wharfedale districts. The top two in each group went through to the knock-out stages.
Guiseley won all eight of their group games defeating Burley, Green Lane, Ilkley and Tong Park home and away. Subsequent victories at home to Riddlesden in the last 16 and away to the unbeaten Slazengers of Wakefield in the last eight led to another away tie in the semi-final against Cleckheaton.
A dramatic match was always likely to be on the cards as holidays deprived Guiseley of four of their strongest players and so it proved as Robert Butterfield, who lost his wicket in the penultimate over, struck nine off the last over and Ryan Mooney blocked the last two balls to secure a victory by one run at 253-2.
And so on to the final for the second year running where Guiseley met Pudsey St Lawrence. Guiseley were asked to bat first. Sticking to the game plan of playing each ball on its merit and preserving wickets they made an excellent 80 for the loss of one wicket giving an overall score of 272-1.
Consistent batting throughout was the secret with Adam Waite making 15, Chris Rawnsley 17 and Callum Fraser 11.
Pudsey were under pressure from the word go and outstanding ground fielding from Guiseley led to four run outs with three wickets being taken in the first pair, two in the second and two in the third as Pudsey's Yorkshire and North of England player Chris Marsden came to the wicket needing 60 to win in five overs.
Undeterred Marsden smashed the ball to all parts of the ground but the task proved too great as he was bowled by Adam Waite in the last over and his partner was run out signifying the end of Pudsey's gallant effort at 242-9. Callum Fraser had the games best figures of 2-11 off four overs.
Joyous scenes greeted Guiseley captain Robert Butterfield as he collected the winning trophy for the first time in the club's 14 years of trying.
This completes a memorable season after the same team won the Eddie Nelson Trophy in June.
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