Barrow Gurney’s unbeaten run in the second half of the season continued in their last league game at Hobbs Lane against St Mary Redcliffe with a dominant performance, winning by 140 runs, last Saturday.

Choosing to bat first, Barrow openers Ed Holdaway and Sam Mitchell started watchfully but then began to put pressure on the Redcliffe bowlers with some expansive hitting.

Holdaway departed for 34 after a partnership of 98, but by this point Mitchell was demonstrating the form he had previously shown in the Second XI clearing the ropes several times with ease, including one of the biggest sixes ever seen at Barrow over the longest boundary into adjoining gardens.

His 75 (six fours, five sixes) was his highest for the first team. The scoring rate then was maintained with useful contributions from Mark Brown (26) and Jason Cryans (17), before the final onslaught from Ben Hodges (22 off 13 balls), Kieran Owen (23 off 15) and Jonny Sykes (28 off 12) took Barrow to 272-7 off their 40 overs.

Barrow then used a pace/spin combination to good effect as Holdaway took a couple of early wickets whilst Frank Forge (2-47) induced a couple of errors with his flight and spin. Guy Fisher (1-28), Kieran Owen (1-16) and Connor Jones (2-18) kept up the momentum as Redcliffe were unable to build a partnership of any substance. Holdaway then came back to take the last two wickets to post excellent figures of 4-17.

The win caps an encouraging season for the team, although a win by rivals Long Ashton, meant fourth place in Division Four, but they would have settled for that after being promoted last year. With still a youngish team and with a deeper squad than for some years the prospects look good for next season.

The second XI also finished fourth in their division (13) despite a disappointing batting display at Abbots Leigh. When Barrow bowled out the home side for 99, with Charlotte Huntley taking 3-13, Paul Gard 2-4, Adam Brace 2-14 and Leo Brace 2-30, it looked like it was going to be a good end to the season.

However, with seven players falling without scoring, the efforts of Gard (31) and Linden Always (30) were not enough to achieve the modest target leaving them 15 runs adrift. The seconds await the news of the proposed reorganised and regionalised divisions next season.