ARUNDEL PACE IT INTO FINAL

Electing to bat, Broadwater knew that a score in excess of 200 would be needed to stretch the home side. The in-form visiting batsmen quickly found the flat wicket and fast outfield to their liking.

Several made impressive starts, but none went on to play the really big innings. The ball was rarely beating the bat, but sometimes batsmen needlessly get themselves out, and Broadwater's first three all perished to catches in the outfield '” Steve Collins for 26, Richard Luker for 46 and Bob Reynolds for 30.

Nigel Botting (27) also sparkled briefly, but it was left to Joe Owen to provide the real substance to the second half of the innings. Two booming sixes and six fours were his principle strokes in a 50 '” his second half-century of the weekend '” that took only 29 deliveries.

James Sisley scored 25 not out at a run a ball, and Broadwater ended their 40 overs on 225 for seven. Left-arm spinner Neil Chitty bowled his eight overs as tightly as anyone, and was rewarded with two for 34.

Arundel began their reply circumspectly after losing an early wicket, and took 13 overs to pass 50. Fitzroy Hodges conceded only 29 from his eight, and later Paul Thurston bowled his left-arm spin intelligently.

The pressure told as Steve Risman was run out by Sisley, but this only brought in the dangerous Steve Mullen, Arundel's captain, to join Ryan Chitty. It was their partnership which decided the outcome. Perhaps it was the sight of Mullen batting without a helmet, but Broadwater appeared to bowl rather too short hereabouts.

Both batsmen pulled and cut powerfully, and seemed just a little less comfortable against the good length delivery. They added 93 at a run a ball before Chitty was stumped by Steve Murphy off Reynolds. He made 81, to follow his not-out century the day before.

Arundel still needed five an over but had wickets in hand, and when Richard Whitcomb came out to smite 10 runs from two successive deliveries from Reynolds, the visitors' hearts sank even further into their boots.

Broadwater had chased a lot of leather over the weekend, and were visibly weary of it. Whitcomb departed for a quick-fire 35, but Mullen settled it with a handsome cover drive to finish with 61 not out.

Broadwater had fought hard, but it's Arundel who are on their way to the County ground for the final against Ifield on August Bank Holiday Monday (2pm).