Hibo Gold skipper Brad Smith won the toss and elected to give Stags first use of the wicket.

Stags began with openers Jack Murdoch and Mitch Cook looking for steady runs and built the total to 1/20 when Smith snared Murdoch, well caught by Nathan Stewart for 19.

Stags skipper Josh Watling joined Cook and this pair added handy runs until Cook was nicely caught by Josh Pender for a very patient nine runs and Stags were 2/45.

Watling was batting very solidly and attacking anything loose to build Stags innings and was ably supported by Josh Ryrie, who attacked the bowling with his usual gusto, adding 17 off 13 balls before he was well caught by Tom Pender off debutante Trevor Gibson. Stags were 4/88.

With the score on 94, Watling was brilliantly caught low down by Ben Staples off James Kent for a very well made 32.

Craig Fahey offered some Stags resistance before he was caught Brad Webster bowled Gibson for 14 and Stags 7/108 Smith came back into the attack to claim a well deserved hat trick (as he had often been on one but just missed the final wicket ) and confining Stags to a total of 118.

All the Hibo Gold bowlers bowled impressively, with Smith the standout performer with 5/21 off his nine overs. He received solid support from Gibson with 2/32 off his nine and James Kent 2/21 off 5. The wicket keeper had a good match behind the stumps, claiming three catches and a stumping

The Hibo Gold run chase got off to a solid start till Tom Pender was bowled by James Will for seven and Hibo Gold were 1/12.

This was to become 2/30 when Kurt Langbein was well caught by keeper Cook for five.

Brad Webster made a welcome return to the team and batted very confidently from the outset to post a well compiled 25 before he holed out off Ryrie and Hibo.

Gold was now 3/54, which became 4/56 when Will Croker was out for 12. 

This brought Ben Staples and Brad Smith to the crease together and these two batsmen batted very solidly, featuring strong defence in a match-winning partnership of 55 runs to see Hibo Gold home at 5/119 with Staples bowled by Will on 29 and Smith remained on 25 not out .

Smith’s 25 not out gave him a good match double to go with his 5/21 and make him the First National Hibo Gold player of the match.

This was another good tight match played between these teams and more are assured.