Hanging Heaton are crowned National T20 Club Champions

Hanging Heaton created history on Sunday when they became the first Yorkshire cricket club to be crowned National T20 Champions.
Hanging Heaton players celebrate their Vitality ECB National T20 success over Swardeston. Picture: Paul ButterfieldHanging Heaton players celebrate their Vitality ECB National T20 success over Swardeston. Picture: Paul Butterfield
Hanging Heaton players celebrate their Vitality ECB National T20 success over Swardeston. Picture: Paul Butterfield

The Tewits travelled to the 3aaa County Ground in Derby for finals day and although they had disposed of reigning T20 champions South Northumberland earlier in the competition they were still regarded as underdogs to lift the trophy.

Hanging Heaton produced a superb bowling and fielding display to defeat Sussex Premier League side Roffey in the semi-final before overcoming Norwich based Swardeston in the biggest game in the club’s history.

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Captain Gary Fellows led from the front with a majestic knock of 88 not out in the final as Heaton timed their run chase to perfection to overcome Swardeston’s total of 164-8.

Swardeston were chasing a hat-trick of National T20 victories having won the competition in 2010 and 2016 and fancied their chances having comfortably beaten Nantwich in the first semi-final.

Swardeston elected to bat first and were given an excellent start by brothers Jordan and Callum Taylor, who shared a 51-run opening wicket stand inside 5.3 overs.

The introduction of spin proved key as Callum Geldart got the breakthrough when Callum Taylor skied a caught and bowled chance for 28.

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Lewis Denmark had created history by smashing 122 not out from just 46 balls in Swardeston’s semi-final win over Nantwich but he was caught in the deep by James Keen off the bowling of Aqsad Ali for 10

Jordan Taylor struck a 44-ball half century before being bowled by Ali for 54 as the slow bowler followed up his man-of-the-match performance in the Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy win over Wakefield Thornes the previous week by claiming 2-21.

Some excellent ground fielding by Hanging Heaton, which included a Geldart run out and a good catch by substitute fielder Chris Goodair, while Ali was receiving treatment for an injured thumb kept the Swardeston innings in check for the latter overs.

Hanging Heaton also made a quick start to their reply with Fellows and Ben Koholer-Cadmore putting on 45 for the first wicket before the latter was caught by Gray off the bowling of Lambert.

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Geldart and Fellows put on 48 for the second wicket with Fellows going on to reach his half century off 37 balls.

Joe Fraser was bowled by Thomas for seven but Fellows was joined by his usual opening batting partner Nick Connolly and they added a crucial 49 runs for the fourth wicket.

Even when Connolly (20) and big hitting David Stiff fell to the bowling of Richard Sims (2-26) Heaton were edging closer to victory.

They required three to win off the final over and after Fellows and Ismail Dawood took singles off the first two balls, it was left to their captain to smash the winnings runs to the delight of a large travelling support who had made the trip from West Yorkshire

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Hanging Heaton had earlier beaten Roffey by seven wickets to secure their place in the final.

A superb bowling and fielding performance saw Roffey restricted to 99-9.

Opening bowlers David Stiff (3-16) and Tom Chippendale (3-18) impressed, while Connolly took two stunning catches, one to dismiss opener Harrison, which was described as one of the best seen at the ground.

There was an early setback for Hanging Heaton when they batted as Kohler-Cadmore was trapped lbw first ball by Rohit Jagota.

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Geldart holed out for four but Fellows and Fraser were soon into their stride.

Fellows made 27 and took the score to 52 before edging Luke Barnard to wicketkeeper Matt Davies.

The Roffey bowlers were making Hanging Heaton work for their runs and the target was still 15 with four overs to go as Fraser and Dawood edged their side towards victory.

Fraser finished unbeaten on 41 with four fours while Dawood was 22 not out when victory was achieved with 15 balls to spare.

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The Bennett Lane side then went on to create history with their thrilling final win over Swardeston.

Their success on the biggest stage of all capped an amazing end to the season for Hanging Heaton, who won the Heavy Woollen Cup and Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy.

Fellows paid tribute to his team after the Naional Cup win, saying: “We have worked hard for it, not just this year but the last three or four years. This is the culmination of that, playing at a county ground against the best in the country.

“It’s fantastic for the lads, for the club and our supporters.”

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