Barnt Green suffered heartbreak at Lord's last night as their latest bid for National Knockout glory fell just short in a three-run defeat.
Needing to score eight off the last over to beat Sussex Premier League side Horsham, the Birmingham League leaders lost two wickets in three balls and ended up failing to score the four they needed off the final delivery to win.
Too much rain had fallen the previous night on an exposed pitch and not until 1pm did a reduced 45-over match start.
Having won the toss, Barnt Green skipper Richard Illingworth was at his tidy best, taking three for 27 in his eight overs. But Horsham ran up an impressive 220 for nine, helped chiefly by a short boundary on the Tavern side, into which the Sussex side's batsmen tucked with gusto.
They also benefited from the hamstring injury that robbed the beaten finalists at Edgbaston three years ago of seamer Kris Howes in only his second over. This came after the groin strain which had left key batsman Simon Froggatt not at his fittest. Moreover, youngsters Miles Illingworth and Kieron Rees were hammered out of the attack.
Despite Illingworth snr's efforts, and the unexpected bonus of Richard Hall's seven overs returning two for 27, Horsham's total was always going to take some getting.
The Green started well with 69 in 12 overs. But Hall was run out by Matt Dallaway for 34 and they slumped to 115 for four.
Young James Samworth, promoted from the second team, kept his side in contention with an unbeaten 60. But they were already behind the asking rate, needing nine an over, when they lost anchorman Dallaway for 63 with five overs left.
A big late push by Adam Smith, who hit two sixes in one over costing 18, kept Illingworth's men afloat. But, after Froggatt was leg-before and then Gareth Williams was run out in the final over, Samworth was required to hit the final ball for four - and he could only pick out the one man on the extra cover boundary.
