Rain wrecks Marton Bash final

Even the ducks started running for cover at Marton yesterday afternoon ...

Drizzle became a downpour and the desire to bring a satisfactory conclusion to the inaugural Twenty20 Bash eventually had to yield to the elements, with the final being abandoned halfway through.

Washed out but no washout, the 20-over competition put together by Dominic Rayner and the Marton club had been an impressive success until the weather intervened. And Rayner was confident it would be back next summer and become a regular fixture on the cricket calendar,

United and Marist were the finalists, with the latter suffering a soaking in the field as United batted first and posted a challenging total of 123-5. Max Carroll (47) and Alan Kenny (35) led the way, with Kane Watkin's 2-14 the best bowling return.

But with players slipping and sliding, the ball getting harder to grasp and the skies still solid grey, it was decided enough was enough - Duckworth-Lewis permutations were put to one side and the prize-money split.

In the sun-blessed semifinals, United made 94-5 in 15 overs and then had Tyler McElwain snap up 5-20 to leave Tech Old Boys eight runs short of victory. Chris Stewart led the Marist assault of the home club's attack, blasting 68 not-out in a score of 122-5. It proved way too daunting for Saracens who self-destructed to 59 all-out, with Sam O'Leary taking 3-12 and Dominic Lock 2-3.

Saracens redeemed themselves in the third-place match, blazing to 178-5 as rep player Henry Collier played the innings of the day for an unbeaten 88 and shared in a 103-run stand with Sam Hartley (21 not-out). Tech had useful contributions from Richie Crockett and Adam Dixon, but Dan Gordon's 4-32 saw them all out for 99.