Hanging Heaton’s National T20 Cup defence is ended

Hanging Heatons David Stiff plunders one of his six sixes during last Sundays ECB National Twenty20 Cup quarter final defeat to Sheffield Collegiate. Picture: Paul Butterfield

Heaton had made history last season when they became the first Yorkshire side to triumph on the national T20 stage and they felt confident of making a return to next month’s finals day at the Derbyshire County Ground having disposed of North East Premier League side Burnmoor and Yorkshire League North outift Harrogate in the Area Finals.

Hanging Heaton were soon in trouble having been asked to bat first by Collegiate as captain Gary Fellows, man-of-the-match in last season’s final win over Swardeston, was lbw by Jamie Carrington for one.

Ben Kohler-Cadmore was caught by Carrington off the bowling of George Bartlett for one and when Joe Fraser also fell cheaply, Heaton were 24-3 from the opening seven overs.

Callum Geldart led the revival as he hit five sixes and three fours on his way to 52 and shared a 94-run fourth wicket with stand with Ishmail Dawood (44).

The large crowd were then treated to some powerful hitting by David Stiff as he hammered six sixes in a rapid 48 not out, from just 19 balls.

He struck 26 off the final over to boost the Hanging Heaton total to 174-7, with Henry Eldred (3-33) pick of the Collegiate bowlers.

Collegiate also lost early wickets in reply and slipped to 24-3 before Carrington took centre stage.

Carrington blasted an unbeaten 70 from just 31 balls including seven sixes and four fours to steer Collegiate to victory with 17 balls to spare.

Tom Chippendale (2-30) and Stiff (2-37) had offered Heaton hope but their reign as national T20 champions came to an end.

Collegiate will now compete alongside last season’s beaten finalists Swardeston, from the East Anglia Premier League, along with Toft CC and Cranleigh on Sunday September 22.