Emmbrook took on Hurley at Lowther Lane in their latest quest for silverware this season on Thursday and were firm favourites to win over a team a league lower and fielding a very strong team.
Captain Jack Narraway won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch looking full of runs.
Matt Loxton started the innings in fine style, smashing the first two deliveries to the boundary for 4. Loxton hit another 4 before being caught for 15 off just 11 balls with the score on 18.
Emmbrook were soon in deep trouble with opener Ollie Williams (10), Greg Davis (5),Andy Lazenbury (4) and Alex Cobb (1) all out with the score at 53 off 7 of their 15 overs.
All-rounder Jason Middleton and Skipper Jack Narraway finally started to push the score along, putting on 41 runs in 19 balls before Middleton was out for 27 off just 12 balls with Three 4’s and Two Sixes, leaving the score at 94-6 . Narraway carried on hitting Five 4’s and Two Sixes in his 41 off 22 balls, before falling with the score of 125. The lower order managed to get Emmbrook’s final score up to 142 -9 off 15 eight-ball overs.
At this point, things began to get interesting as The Hurley players seemed to have trouble with some of their teammates’ names and a few very unfamiliar faces taking part in the match.
The Hurley innings didn’t start well with Lazenbury claiming a wicket with his fifth ball.
This brought in the first of the unknown Hurley batsmen, who proceeded to hit the Emmbrook attack all around the pitch. With the introduction of Tom Stevenson into the attack, Emmbrook took two wickets, only to be replaced by more unknown players who carried on playing shots and carried Hurley over the winning line with 18 balls left.
So, disappointment on the night for Emmbrook, missing out on the chance to retain their title from winning it last year, or was it?
Some phone calls to various officials revealed that Hurley had played multiple ineligible players, including one who had played in the Pakistan Premier League. The end result was Hurley being thrown out of the competition and Emmbrook now facing either Denham or Ley Hill in the final on 21st July 2023