Tipton turned in a fine collective performance on Sunday to claim the Mark Giles Cup, a trophy the club competes for annually against Tedburn St Mary.

Surprisingly asked to bat first on a hot afternoon, Tipton posted 218-7 which they defended with a confident bowling and fielding performance.

Openers Steve Walker and Dave Alford made a positive, but watchful start, and the runs had begun to flow freely at four an over when Alford was bowled by Andy Coren for 26. The pair had put on 56 for the first wicket, setting the tone for an innings of well-constructed partnerships which sustained momentum and placed their side in a winning position. Adam Gibbins (19) joined Walker and the pair added a further 39 for the second wicket.

Ollie Coates joined Walker who was now playing with considerable assurance, reaching an excellent 50, his first for the club, with three fours in a row. When Walker fell for 68, Steve Shaw joined Coates, who moved swiftly to 36 before being bowled. Kevin McMeeking (13) and then Joe Birch helped Shaw (20) sustain the momentum and take the score beyond 200 before Dickie Dawson ended the innings with a crunching boundary off Lewis.

Tedburn’s reply stalled quickly as Joe Birch removed Dowle and Wood in a hostile four over spell, while Alex Tubbs had skipper Steve Baker caught by Gibbins to reduce the visitors to 18-3. When David Birch bowled Andy Coren for a duck, Tedburn were reeling on 25-4, but Paul Coren (33) and Ian Barr (21) staged a mini-recovery before Coren skied Gibbins for a comfortable caught and bowled. Barr was then trapped lbw by McMeeking, leading to a 52-run stand between Rich (36) and Barlow (29) which took the score to 119.

Shaw virtually ended all resistance, bowling Rich in a fine spell yielding 2-6, before Joe Birch returned to bowl Barlow to finish with 3-17 from eight overs. Tedburn played out the remaining overs to end on 143-9, still 75 runs short and therefore conceding the Mark Giles Cup for the first time since 2008.