Hat-trick hero dumps Alnwick in cup tie

On a bitterly cold night, Berwick eventually triumphed courtesy of losing fewer wickets, after both sides scored 102 runs in their 18 overs.

Berwick, with Elliot Keenan top scoring on 32, lost seven wickets and Alnwick nine.

But that only tells half the story. The game was slipping from Berwick’s grasp when Michael Shearer changed the course of the match with a run out before claiming a remarkable hat-trick of wickets in his haul of 5-21, which set up the nail biting finale.

It was Alnwick’s second successive cup defeat against Berwick, as the previous week they had lost to them in the preliminary round of the Thomas Wilson League Cup.

Meanwhile, heavy rain on Saturday meant the entire league card was wiped out. All games were cancelled and all teams awarded five points.

The sides will be hoping for better weather conditions when the week five fixtures are held this Saturday (May 15).

Fixtures for the local sides are:

Alnmouth & Lesbury 1sts v Swalwell 1sts; Warkworth 1sts v Bates Cottages 1sts; Whickham 1sts v Alnwick 1sts; Allendale 1sts v Alnmouth & Lesbury 2nds; Alnwick 2nds v Warenford; Monkseaton 1sts v Rock; Ulgham 1sts v Howick; Bomarsund 2nds v Warkworth 2nds; Embleton v Stobswood 2nds; Wooler v Ulgham 2nds.

After four weeks, leading positions in the NTCL are:

Div 1 – Percy Main 93, Newcastle City 92, Swalwell 90, Morpeth 74, Leadgate 70 (Aln & Lesbury 23).

Div 2 – Tillside 92, Whickham 90, Ponteland 71, Blagdon 70, Alnwick 67 (Warkworth 43).

Div 3 – Berwick 95, Ashington Rugby 94, GEMs 94, Corbridge 71, Stocksfield 68 (Aln & Lesbury 37).

Div 5 North – Morpeth 90, Ashington Rugby 88, Bedlington 88, Warenford 88, Cramlington 68, Alnwick 47, Blagdon 46, Monkseaton 45, Tillside 40, Howick 27, Ulgham 21, Rock 11.

Div 6 North – Stobswood 91, Berwick 69, Blyth 69, Embleton 62, Bomarsund 44, Warkworth 39, Wooler 36, Ulgham 15.