The team had a different look from the previous round against Banstead with Ant Ireland, Harrison Lewis, Callum Gurbutt and Khizar Abassi coming into the side to replace absentees Rory Haughton, Tommy Bates, Advaith Bali and Ollie Thilo. With 1-1st teamer, 4-2nd teamers, 4-3rd teamers and 2-4th teamers, this would be a good test for the playing strength of the Club.

Hosts Effingham play in Division 5 1st elevens, and their team fielded 7 of the 1st team that played on the previous Saturday. With the Llamas having beaten Epsom from Division 3 in an earlier round; albeit with a much changed team, the Llamas were cautiously optimistic of progressing to the Finals Day.

Captain Harry McInley won the toss and elected to bat and Reigate were soon in trouble and limped to 46-6 after 11 overs losing Seth McDowall, Luke Sheridan, Harry McInley, Ant Ireland, Harrison Lewis and Ben Ware with only 2 fours (Ant Ireland and Ben Ware) a single six (Macca) in boundaries in the 11 overs.

Enter Khizar Abassi and Jack Sadler who began to get on top of the Effingham bowlers hitting 9-12-9 from the next 3 overs before with the 1st ball of the 15th over with the score at 79 Khizar (17 runs from 12 balls) was caught to be the 7th wicket to fall. Aadil Raza joined Jack Sadler and the scorecard continued to improve as Jack (23 from 20 balls) & Aadil (15 from 10 balls) scored at more than a run a ball. Jack was caught with just 3 balls (of the reduced 18 over game) remaining. Srikanth belted the last ball for 4 and the Llama innings closed on 108-7. Jack Sadler led the recovery from 48-6 after 11 overs as the Llamas got another 60 runs from the last 7 overs.

Srikanth Vuppala opened the bowling conceding just 3 runs from his opening over. Two fours from Ben Ware’s 1st over saw Effingham to 13 after 2 overs before Sri bowled W Farnsworth and Effingham lost their 1st wicket with the score on 14-1. Callum Gurbutt conceded 2 fours in the 4th over and Effingham were 23-1 after 4 overs but Sri then got his 2nd wicket in the course of conceding just 6 runs from his 4 overs (4-0-6-2) as a brilliant diving catch in the deep from Harry McInley saw B Thomas dismissed for 19 and Effingham on 27-2 after 7 overs. After 10 overs Effingham were 46-2 compared to Reigate’s 46-6 in their 11th over so with wickets in hand Effingham were probably favourites at this stage.

With Srikanth’s 4 overs for just 6 runs and with further spin options available of Harry himself and Seth McDowall; Macca chose to continue with his seam attack and was rewarded as Aadil Raza (3-0-17-1) bowled C Fewson (10) with a ball that looped high off his pads back onto the stumps for 54-3 in the 11th over. Jack Sadler followed up having A Iqbal caught by Luke Sheridan for 62-4 in the 12th over.

Effingham fought back and overs 14 and 15 went for 10 and 9 as Effingham at 84-4 needed 25 from the last 3 overs and their current scoring rate would see them home. Aadil put the brakes on conceding just 4 from the 16th over but 13 from the penultimate over (including a six) took Effingham onto 101-4 needing just 8 from the last over.

Effingham’s number 3 bat H Green scored 6 from Jack Sadler’s 1st two deliveries and with just 2 needed from the last 4 balls the Llamas looked out of the contest. But a dot ball followed then a single and then Jack Sadler running to the mid wicket area off his own bowling turned and with a direct hit he ran out E Cooper (16) for 108-5.

With just one ball left a single would tie the scores and put Effingham through as they had lost fewer wickets but Jack wasn’t finished and the last ball was nicked to finally dismiss H Green (42 from 45 balls) with emergency wicket keeper Ant Ireland diving to hold on to win the game for the Llamas to the delight of the team and the Llama supporters which included Chairman JB who made the cross country detour from his usual journey home.

Man of the Match to Jack Sadler for his 23 runs from 20 balls that dragged us up from 46-6 and then for his bowling (3-0-24-2) and for his fielding run out; a real Jack of all trades performance in this nail biting last ball finish as hosts Effingham finished 1 run short on 108-6

Finals day next and details will no doubt follow.