Grimston pipped to title by Thornham

Grimston chairman Tim Tilbrook paid tribute to the club’s members after seeing them lose their promotion showdown on Sunday.Top-of-the-league Grimston CC and second-placed Thornham CC went head-to-head in the Kevin Grimmer Division with the home side coming out on top by six wickets.Tilbrook was positive despite the defeat, saying: “We’ve come so far in the last few years; to be in the promotion chase at all is a testament to the hard work everyone has put into the club.”Well done to Thornham who were much better than us today and deserve it.”Grimston were missing regular captain Mark Tilbrook and vice-captain Harry Ward, whilst Thornham made 3 changes to the team which lost to Long Sutton last time out.As such this made for an interesting matchup in blustery conditions at the Thornham Oval.Grimston interim captain Andrew Tilbrook won the toss and elected to bat, opening with the tried-and-tested partnership of Tilbrook and Sam Adkin. However, when Adkin fell first ball, trapped leg-before-wicket by Adam Rose, Grimston immediately found themselves on the back foot. Mark Pickering, Grimston’s second-highest run scorer, took to the crease and was again dismissed leg-before-wicket by Rose in his second ball, and Grimston were in a world of trouble.Loanee Ben Wilson added 27 runs to the total and Saturday-regular Bharathi Krishnan was able to contribute another 12, but Grimston collapsed to the disappointing total of 59 all out.Dylan Fryett claimed two wickets at an economy of two, the star in a superb bowling display from Thornham. Thornham opened with a formidable partnership of Nat Linsell and Ben Harris, intending to chase down the required total quickly; but Grimston had other ideas.Harris was run-out for 0 by Krishnan, and Linsell was clean-bowled by a ball-of-the-season contender from Pickering which pitched outside off stump and jagged back in to uproot the middle stump. Benji Richardson and Jacob Hewson came and went in quick succession and Grimston were in with a chance.However, the class of Fryett (25 not out) and Alex Fry (16 not out) saw them over the line, chasing down the total in 12.2 overs.