Mundford were greeted with a downpour upon arrival at North Runcton's ground - and the game was puncuated with rain breaks.The Stags lost the toss and were inserted onto the damp track.

Mundford were greeted with a downpour upon arrival at North Runcton's ground - and the game was puncuated with rain breaks.

The Stags lost the toss and were inserted onto the damp track. It was going to be tough going early doors against the opening Runcton seamers.

Bailey, Jones and Yates all struggled in the half of the match, leaving the visitors delicately placed at 67 for four from 23 overs.

With rain clouds looming over the proceedings all day, there would be countless breaks.

With Woods (24) looking at extreme ease at the crease, he and Yates (37) were just about turning the tide when Woods played just one lazy shot and had to make his way back to

the pavilion.

Next ball Dan White played a loose shot first ball to leave Mundford reeling at 56 for 4.

The Stags needed something special and they were to find this with a gentle mix of experience and youth. Aaron Burt, new to first-team cricket this year, was to play an innings which so far much more than his tender age of 16.

Yet another rain break at 30 overs with the visitors on 93 for four and struggling to place any sort of defending total the last 16 overs when played commenced would be vital.

Burt and Yates seized the game from ball one one after the resumption. The remaining overs totalled 92 runs, the majority of these coming from Burt, his 76 the backbone of Mundford's 185 for 8.

The fifth-wicket partnership of 85 with Yates gave Mundford a very defendable total.

Skipper Bailey was hoping new ball partnership of Grady and Smeed would continue from the previous week and dismantle North Runcton's top order. The next hour's cricket was a supreme example of swing and seam bowling. Grady was bowling with renewed pace.

His spell of nine overs conceded 35 but, most importantly, picked up three top-order batters.

Ray Smeed backed him up superbly with figures of 2-45 to leave the home side in the depths of despair at 88 for 6.

Mundford were to rue the rain break that followed the opening spells. When the sides came back Mundford had lost the impetus, but with the home side left with only four wickets and still 29 overs to bat.

The Stags pushed hard for a victory but with more rain on the horizon a result looked unlikely with the 8.30pm cut-off time getting closer and closer as the overs ticked by.

Munford met stubborn resistance from the home side's lower order. Allsop and Bailey rushed through their overs in just over an hour as a quick over rate was sacrificed for quick overs in the hope that the cut-off time wasn't reached.

In the end Runcton managed to limp to 90pc of Mundford's total and gain a few more vital points.