Clifton Hold Their Nerve in Must-Win Thriller Against Shaw
In a game packed with tension, talking points, and tight moments, Clifton CC came out on top in a vital victory over Shaw CC on Saturday, keeping their hopes alive in the division with a dogged five-wicket win.
Having won the toss under overcast skies, skipper Sam Dorsey had no hesitation in bowling first, and the decision looked a good one as early pressure from Ollie Sleight and Finley Testa got Clifton off to a solid start. Testa struck with the first breakthrough before Sleight removed danger man J. Pilling, reducing Shaw to 13–2.
Shaw responded steadily through Chiappe and Aston, but the pressure never fully lifted, with Mason Turner and Ben Hamilton controlling the middle overs well. Both took key wickets, and Hamilton’s 2-35 off 15 overs was particularly miserly. But it was Praharsh Parikh, bowling with poise and purpose, who swung momentum firmly Clifton's way, grabbing 3-31 and wiping out the Shaw lower order.
The final wicket came in the form of a chaotic run-out orchestrated by Matt Van Dyk completing a rocket of a throw that caught the non-striker short. Shaw were all out for 172in 48.1 overs, a total that felt competitive but chaseable.
Clifton’s reply got off to a shaky start. Zach Flaxman, Jack Stanley and Matt Van Dyk were dismissed cheaply (the latter in an odd run-out that drew some debate from both sides), Clifton were reeling at 24–3.
Enter Sam Dorsey and Ben Hamilton, who steadied the innings with a gritty 73-run partnership. Dorsey batted with great discipline for his 39 off 75 balls, while Hamilton looked to press the scoring with a well-crafted 37 before both fell in quick succession.
With the game in the balance at 129–5, it was left to Ethan Pietkiewicz(32)* and Parikh (25)* to show the cool heads required under pressure. Their unbeaten 47-run partnership was a masterclass in game management, nudging, rotating, and pouncing on anything loose. They saw Clifton home with 1.2 overs to spare, sealing a crucial win in a campaign that continues to twist and turn.