Tipton St John emerged victorious from their meeting with Cardiff-based tourists Mitres.

The Welsh side batted first, just as they have done in recent seasons, and once again they put bat to ball with great effect too close on 222-4.

Tipton made a goo start with Mark Channon bowling James Arter for three in only the second over. However, the wicket taking thereafter was spasmodic as both Furness and Williams scored half centuries.

The run rate was pegged back by some accurate early bowling, but accelerated as the innings progressed aided by some scrappy fielding on a fast, bumpy outfield.

Lawrence Walker(1-41) bowled well, as did Mark Channon (1-39) and Dave Thayre (0-29) who both conceded most of their runs late on.

Tipton’s batting line up was rather fragile so it was a good job that openers, Steve Walker and Dave Thayre, were in good form.

They batted cautiously, but punished bad balls reaching 60 in the 10th over and 100 in the 16th by way of a Thayre boundary which also brought up his 50. In the same over, Walker hit a six to reach his half century.

Just when it looked like the pair would break the club opening partnership record of 203, with the score on 188, Thayre snicked a ball from Collins and walked as soon as it hit keeper Furness’s gloves.

Thayre made a career best 83 off 73 balls. Steve Walker was just four runs from his maiden century when cruelly given out leg before wicket for a knock of 96 that came from just 69 balls faced!

Debutant Pradeep Kumar made a valuable 15 as Tipton inched to their target, but they also lost further wickets with Lawrence Walker (4) Surajeet Chakravarty (6) and Al Matthews with a duck all falling within 14 runs.

With the tail enders getting nervous, it was left to the experienced Dickie Dawson to hit the winning boundary with three overs to spare.