Tipton went down by five wickets when they met Dunsford, writes Kevin McMeeking.

Dunsford invited Tipton to bat on a damp wicket with overcast conditions. Phil Tolley and Charles O’Higgins opened the batting cautiously against a disciplined Dunsford bowling attack.

Tolley made a patient six before sportingly walking after nicking a lifting ball that the umpire was about to signal as a wide.

O’Higgins was batting fluently for 13 before holing out to long on. As the sunshine appeared, David Thayre and Kevin McMeeking grafted hard to build a partnership of 54 until Thayre perished to an incredible reflex catch at short leg for 27.

Steve O’Higgins, playing his first match for four years, batted well prior to trying to pull a short ball that unluckily skipped off the bat and body onto the stumps.

With acceleration needed, Al Matthews made a quick-fire 15 before a leading edge led to his dismissal. McMeeking finally perished to Charlie Sheen for a hard fought 24. Dave Alford upped the tempo for an excellent 18 not out then Tom Birch perished top a leg before wicket decision, sweeping for three as Tipton’s innings closed on 135.

Tipton started bowling frugally with David Birch the pick with one for just seven runs and Charles O’Higgins, whose extra pace led to two wickets and Mark Channon’s line and length and Tom Birch’s spin contributing one wicket each – the latter an excellent running catch from Tolley.

David O’Higgins was unfortunate to see a tough catch spilled off his bowling before Charlie Sheen posted a quic-kfire 29 that took a low scoring game away from Tipton. Dunsford winning a competitive fixture by five wickets.