Ashington skipper praises team's determination after hard-fought win at Tynedale

The hosts posted 145 all out then, in reply, after an explosive opening over which yielded 10 runs from Jack Jessop, Ashington’s troubles began in the third over when Jessop was caught in the deep.

Further wickets fell as they slumped to 53-5 and 71-6 before huge efforts from McCafferty (39) and Matty Potts (46 not out) then Alex Nice (2 not out) eventually got them over the line.

McCafferty said afterwards: “I thought at the beginning of our innings, the lads (Jessop and Adam Nichol) played some nice shots and we got ourselves into a good position early on.

“Jack will be disappointed with his dismissal and we didn’t cover ourselves in glory to be honest with the bat, but we managed to grind it out and Matty Potts was tremendous.”

McCafferty was already at the wicket when Potts went into bat at number eight.

“When Matty first came to the crease,” he said, “we had the same conversation as I previously had with Ben Harmison and James Harmison – to try and get ourselves in for five overs and look to just chip away at the score and take the runs required down in units of 10.

“I always think if you get the runs required down to less than 50 it’s a little bit of a mental barrier broken down.

“We managed to get below the 50 mark then Matty came into his own with some free scoring and he played some lovely shots and took the pressure off us.”

He continued: “Alex Storey was out first ball which I wasn’t expecting to happen, but we are Ashington and try to make things as difficult as possible.

“It’s never easy chasing low scores on green wickets and we have just spoke in the dressing room that we are winning games this season which we would have lost a few years ago.

“We have got real determination and lads with a little bit of backbone and the bit between their teeth, defiant that they aren’t going to get beat.”