RIP-ROARING King’s Road smashed through the Battersea Badgers batting line-up to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat on Tuesday.

The ruthless Orange Caps hunted down their rodent-like rivals on Tooting Bec Common in a nail-biting finish to the South London derby.

Set a daunting 137 to win, the Badgers were cruising to victory with just 13 needed off five overs in the two teams’ second clash of the season.

Then – in a sensational turnaround – The Road launched a last-gasp blitz to steal a famous win against their bitter rivals.

King’s Road had put on their biggest first innings total this season before letting the Badgers back in it with a lacklustre performance in the field.

Heads were dropping yet again before big Tony Swann gave them a much-needed shot in the arm by reeling in dangerman Robin Mackrell.

The team sparked into life and forced a dazzling flurry of wickets to set up a dramatic, breath-taking finish to the Twenty20 face-off.

It went right down to the wire as the Badgers froze under the pressure.

And then, as if back from the dead, The Road ran out winners by a three runs in what was the tightest match they’d ever played.

King’s Road had a decent start after stand-in skip Dan Howard put his team into bat.

Opener Matt Cocken and pinchhitter Kevin Pittaway – who was promoted up the order at the last minute – looked in good nick on the firm, bouncy pitch.

But when Matt went fishing for a four he got bowled by paceman Mackrell to put the score on 14 for one.

It set the stage up for actor Giles Fagan to return to The Road in swash-buckling style.

The golden oldie – one of team’s stars of last season – was unlucky though, only managing seven before he mistimed a smash to long-on off medium pacer Jan Marchant.

In-form bat Leon Watson then marched into the middle with Kevin, hoping to follow on from his career best 36 against the Badgers two weeks ago.

The pair both played the innings of their lives smacking 14 fours in a partnership of 74 that seemed to set the bedrock of a big total for The Road.

Leon’s brisk half century off 43 balls, including eight fours, was cruelly cut short when he retired unbeaten from exhaustion to his obvious relief.

Kevin, who also visibly tired in the heat, fell four runs later for a career best 42 two balls after he broke his bat trying to plunder more runs.

It was left to Tony and all-rounder Adam Majeed to kick on and finish the innings in style.

Both scored at a run a ball until the last over when paceman Robin returned to bowl Tony and Simon Biffen in successive balls.

Adam, 12, and Andy Saker, one, were the not out batsman with the King’s Road total hitting an impressive 136.

The Badgers’ reply was instant though with openers Martin Cloke and Jacob Thomas tearing into the bowling.

A succession of boundaries had the away team up above the rate required and The Road were beginning to totter.

The wickets of Thomas, who was caught behind off Kevin for 15, and wickie John Dickinson, bowled by Chris Beckett for seven, didn’t slow them down.

And the run-rate just went up again when Mackrell went after the bowling with former captain Andy Thorpe to further prize victory from The Road’s grasp.

With the Badgers on 115 for three needing just 22 runs from six overs the situation looked desperate – and it looked like only a miracle could save the Orange Caps.

Incredibly, that miracle came though when the nervous Badgers collapsed under the pressure from a position of complete dominance in stunning fashion.

Needing just a few singles to win they lost a stunning SIX wickets for just seven runs – leaving them three runs short.

In a nail-biting last few overs the bails tumbled after a series of last-gasp heroics from The Road’s bowlers and fielders.

Kevin bowled a much-needed wicket maiden, Dan grasped a magnificent one-handed catch off his own bowling and Adam castled Louise with a stunning yorker.

Right in the thick of it though was wickie Giles whose quick-thinking played a part in three crippling run outs.

As the pressure mounted Leon ran out Stuart Barker for one, to leave the match on a knife-edge with the Badgers on 133 for nine.

One hit – or one wicket – would guarantee victory in the last over and, with time running out and the evening gloom descending, the final nail in the Badgers coffin was hammered in.

Maskell got into a terrible mix-up with Pete Warman at the other end when the ball trickled behind off Dan’s bowling.

The pair went for a suicidal run when they needed just three to tie or four to win. In the confusion Giles cooly ran the ball to the other end and rolled it to Dan who whipped the bails off.

It gifted King’s Road their first win of the season in dramatic circumstances and sparked wild celebrations.

Man of the Match Kevin was the pick of the bowlers with two for 12 off four, including that crucial wicket maiden.

For the Badgers, Mackrell was eel-y good. He hooked three batsman for 26 runs but cod not stop his side from floundering when they clam-med up in the field.

It’s been a long time coming – but KRCSC are finally back on The Road.