Although the ground, facilities and opposition were not as good as previous opponents in this competition, Shipley were made to fight to the death.

The visitors lost the toss and after being asked to bat first both openers departed for a duck.

James Cokayne and Mark Starr had to graft hard on a slow surface. They added 44 but both were gone at the half way point with the score at 79-5.

John Buckley batted through to the end of the innings playing the anchor role with an undefeated 25 and all the other batsman contributed useful cameos. Danny Haddon at number nine made an especially valuable 23 not out and Shipley gained some valuable momentum with 39 off the last five overs.

Josh Buckley made an early strike with the new ball and Quatt were kept under the cosh by tight bowling and admirable fielding.

At the half way point they were 51-3 but then protected their wickets and made steady runs to reach 99-4 off 32.

Danny Haddon (4-41) chipped away and Shipley started to take wickets as the run rate increased.

At 140-9 off 38 overs, Shipley were favourites and Josh Buckley bowled a superb over from which Quatt could only obtain a single run.

Cokayne had left himself the task of bowling the final over. The first ball was hit back towards him and the non-striker made a crazy dash for a single that did not exist and Cokayne broke the stumps at the bowler’s end.

Shipley’s large travelling support, outnumbering the home supporters, were delighted and are now planning their quarter-final trip to Woodhouses in Lancashire.

Saturday

Last Saturday the side was missing three first-choice batsman skipper James Cokayne, Wes Essex and Neil Cox.

On a damp track, stand-in captain Mark Starr was happy to bowl first and his men did not let him down.

Graham Farnsworth took 3-24 and John Buckley, who has now recovered his tremendous form of last season, was far too good for the Nutbrook batsmen and finished with 6-16.

Stef Gamble (20) and Mark Starr (16) got us halfway to the target but there was a terrible collapse and it was left to Anders Carrington, whose invaluable 21 was worth many a 50 played in better conditions, to almost get us home.

After his dismissal, there were a few more uncomfortable moments but Shipley eventually staggered over the finishing line with two wickets to spare. This was an important win and lifts Shipley out of the relegation places.

The seconds took the prize of scalp of leaders Clay Cross on their own patch.

Clay Cross bated first and were completely subdued by our two outstanding bowlers of the season; Martin Chapman and Grahame McDonough; who returned collective figures of 28 overs for 42 runs and four wickets.

Ryan North bowled a Soberesque mixture of seam and spin and youngster Aaron Wood bowled six excellent overs for only 17 runs.