Ingham’s salute to Shaw spirit

ready to roll: Shaw captain Mark Ingham (front, left) and Greenfield counterpart Paul Sullivan line up before the Moore Cup final at Holebottom Clough.

SUCCESSFUL Shaw skipper Mark Ingham praised his side’s spirit after they won a dramatic Moore Cup final.

The Holebottom Clough outfit scraped home by three runs after thwarting a Greenfield fightback on the fourth night of action.

Ingham said: “We kept going right to the very end and eventually pulled it together.

“The performance summed up our season. Our fielding was very good — we held some catches when it mattered — while Ken Slicker bowled almost nine overs straight through at the death which was a big ask in the circumstances.”

Greenfield were wobbling on 48 for four in reply to Shaw’s 172. Openers Dave Andrew made 66 and Graham Lindon hit 61.

But Paul Sullivan’s team, lifted by Nigel Kippax and some lower-order belligerence, gradually homed in on their target after play resumed three nights later after rain.

Kippax finished unbeaten on 50, but his effort was ultimately in vain after number 11 Stuart Chambley was run out with three balls to go.

Ingham went on: “I thought we had were out of it. Drew Fullalove, our opening bowler, still had four overs to bowl but was unavailable after Tuesday.

“Alan Campbell was also away for the last night, but he had already got through his nine overs. He took two wickets and only conceded nine runs.

“In all honesty, Greenfield should have won it, but we managed to take three wickets in the last two overs. The players were pretty ecstatic when it was all over.”

It was Shaw’s fifth success in the competition and their first since 1997.

Sullivan, the Greenfield captain, was named man-of-the-match after claiming four for 23 from seven overs.