SMALL wonder! Hero tailender Matt Small held his nerver to secure a thrilling last ball win for King’s Road against London Itinerants.

With light fading fast and two required for victory from the final delivery, Small stylishly drove for four to end a dramatic contest at Barnes Green.

Small, promoted to the heady heights of number nine, had earlier contributed one for 24 opening the bowling as the Ities bludgeoned their way to 121 for nine off their 20 overs.

Skipper James Couldrey led the way with the ball, the left-arm paceman taking three wickets to hit the magical 50-wicket milestone for The Road. Spinners Jamie Keating and mystery man Amir Alipour also picked up a wicket each.

Kiwi Messiah Jeremy Smith also took a scalp in his tight new ball spell and Shailesh Joshi was unlucky to go wicketless, even though he managed to hit the stumps as a block by an Itinerant batsman trickled on to the timber but failed to dislodge a bail.

A sharp run-out added to the wickets haul, but the Itinerants held on to complete their allotted overs with a wicket in hand.

The Road’s reply got off to a flying start with Matt Glover, who was surplus to requirements in the Orange Caps’ bowling attack, letting his bat do the talking. He hammered his way to 30, including six fours.

He was ably supported by the stylish Mark Isham who scored 17 as the pair took the Orange Caps half way to victory in an opening strand of 62.

But once Glover fell, going for one shot too many, The Road’s innings stuttered with David Hughes out for a duck as a feeble defensive block dribbled onto the stumps, and Isham well caught to leave the Orange Caps on 64 for 3.

The innings got back on track as Giles Fagan and Matt Cocken put on 22 for the fourth wicket before wicketkeeper Fagan was out for 13.
Cocken and Keating then added a valuable 11 before the northener fell for 9.

Keats continued to hit out, despite the loss of new partner Joshi, eventually departing for 16 with the Road on the verge of victory.

But with the evening drawing in, batting was becoming more difficult and Smith could only score three before falling in the final over as the match approached its nerve-wracking climax.

New man Amir Alipour sacrificed his wicket attempting a sharp single to put Small on strike for the final ball.

Skipper Couldrey, at number 11, could only watch as opening bowler Davis, recalled to bowl at the death, faced up to Small with one run needed for a draw.

One swing of Small’s bat later and it was all over, prompting scenes of wild celebration from The Road.