Ledbury Cricket Club began their summer campaign with a thriller of a match against Builth Wells, with the result undecided until the final delivery.
The team's captain, Rhys Gunter, elected to field first, handing over the batting to Builth Wells.
With a pitch tinged green and the sky heavily overcast, the conditions were ideal for his bowlers.
Club stalwarts Tom Hill and Vicky Evans rose to the occasion, toppling the Builth openers swiftly.
Hill took out both opening batsmen in quick succession, while Evans got two wickets herself.
However, a counterattack from Builth’s skipper McPhee saw him reach 77 in no time before being bowled by Josh Evans.
Chaz Barber operated with precision and pace, resulting in a wicket.
David Nash added to the tally by eliminating the last of the Builth players.
Ledbury's leg-spinner, Jamie Turner, was the standout performer, taking three vital wickets when Builth's middle order started gaining momentum, putting the situation back under Ledbury's control.
Builth were all out in 40 overs for a reasonable total of 196.
Although not an astronomical score, the green pitch made 196 a formidable benchmark.
Ledbury took to the task, starting their innings with Tom Hill and Josh Evans at the crease.
Builth's seasoned opening bowlers made good use of their home conditions, exerting scoreboard pressure on the batting side.
Hill was the first to fall, getting bowled, leaving Evans and Tom Bowring to muster a partnership of 60 runs.
Josh Evans capitalised on loose deliveries to reach a crucial 54 before being bowled out by a well-aimed slow ball.
Tom Bowring was ousted next, leaving Ledbury with 96 runs to chase.
Nick Gibbons, who seemed a little too ambitious on his second run, found himself run out with the scoreboard reading 124-5, shifting the advantage back to Builth.
But David Nash and Jamie Turner put together a pivotal middle-order partnership worth 40 runs that turned the tide back towards Ledbury.
Turner played some powerful boundary shots while Nash raked up singles, until Turner was caught on the boundary with the score at 162.
Thirty runs away from victory, Richard Orders helped nudge the team closer to the target.
In quick succession, though, Orders and Nash lost their wickets, leaving the scoreboard precarious at 192-8 with only 10 balls remaining.
Eventually, Chaz Barber and Liam Kendrick levelled the score, and Kendrick flicked the final match-deciding ball deftly between fielders and ran for the win.
This week, Ledbury 1sts will host Brockhampton 3rds at Orlham Lane.
Ledbury Cricket Club invites anyone who wishes to participate or support, welcoming new members of all ages and abilities.
For further information, visit the club at Orlham Lane or reach out via social media.
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