AN UNBEATEN 76 from number nine Randy Gayle led Horsley & Send to a remarkable two-wicket win over Trinity Mid-Whitgiftian in a thrilling match at Lime Meadow on Saturday.

Mids looked to have the visitors dead and buried at 132-7 chasing an unlikely 289 for victory but Gayle turned the match upside down in an eighth-wicket stand of 131 with Mark Elliott to leave Mids wondering how they allowed the game to slip away.

After struggling in recent weeks Mids recovered from the early loss of openers Graham Cobbett and Mike Brugnoli to produce a splendid performance with the bat.

Richard Piggin dominated the bowling in the first half of the innings, hitting a superb 82 while Warne, despite only making 26, played an important role in stabilising the innings after the early loss of wickets.

Piggin looked set to become Mids' first centurion of the season until he was caught by Sajeed Hussain and Warne was then caught by Ullah four overs later as Horsley briefly threatened a fight back.

But Christian Bond and Stewart Sales never allowed the bowlers to settle as they blasted 150 from the last 17 overs and were assisted by some sloppy fielding.

Bond hit 59 from 53 balls, his second half century of the season, while Sales continued his excellent recent form, finishing unbeaten on 97 before Mids closed their innings on 288-4.

Mids began well with the ball as Mark Roberts dismissed Naz and Sajeed Hussain cheaply while Shah was bowled by Piper at the other end to leave the visitors languishing on 31 for three.

A stand of 50 between captain Jimal Khan and Asmat Ullah settled the innings down but Horsley continued to fall behind the run rate.

The pressure eventually told as Cobbett took a crucial catch at point to dismiss the dangerous Ullah.

Simon Elliott (20) and Shahid Khan (12) both made starts but were unable to convert them into the big innings required as Cobbett and Bond took further good catches.

With 150 still needed from 20 overs there looked to be no way back for Horsley until Mark Elliott and Gayle produced an outstanding effort.

The lack of a fifth specialist bowler in the Mids side was exposed again as the hosts struggled to stem the flow of runs against a pair of batsmen with nothing to lose.

As well as controlling a wet ball Mids also had to contend with appalling light as fielders in the deep conceded a number of boundaries which might otherwise have been avoided.

With four overs remaining, Mids made the breakthrough they needed to claw the game back when Elliott was bowled by Sales for 49. But the home captain missed the chance to win Mids the game when he dropped Gayle who survived to leave Horsley needing seven runs from the final over. Waheed Khan levelled the scores with a six over long-on before scrambling the winning run as they completed an amazing victory with three balls to spare.

Despite this dispiriting defeat there was consolation for Mids from results elsewhere which ensured they will remain in Division Three next season.