It was groundhog day again for Tipton’s batsmen on Saturday as once again the top order missed out on enough runs to set the opposition a challenging enough total, writes David Birch.

Steve Walker and Dave Thayre both perished miscuing short deliveries while Michael Dawson and Tom Birch both fell victim to good balls from opening bowler Mark Bancroft who finished with 4-12 from five overs.

With half the side back in the pavilion and just 25 runs on the board it was left to Dickie Dawson, supported by Matt and Tom Jeacock, to lead Tipton to respectability.

Starting cautiously, Dawson saw off 21 consecutive dot balls while Matt Jeacock grew in confidence at the other end.

Then, thanks to a sudden flurry of boundaries from Dawson’s bat, the pair added 34 before Jeacock was caught on 15. Birch and Dave O’Higgins helped Dawson to add another 19 runs, leaving him on an invaluable 22 not out and Tipton on 84 all out.

Tom Jeacock made an immediate impact on the Harberton reply clean bowling Mike McClement and Toby Tobias, sending back both batsmen for two.

Harberton were moving swiftly towards their target, but Dave O’Higgins nearly swung an unlikely victory for Tipton, striking four times in three overs.

On each occasion Harberton’s batsmen tried to go over the top, only to pick out secure catchers in the form of Thayre, Dawson and the Jeacock brothers.

At 71-6, Tipton had a chance against ten-man Harberton, but Bancroft swiftly put an end to any faint hopes by striking three brutal fours to see the visitors home by three wickets.