DEAN Francis was the hero with a six off the last ball of the match to snatch a one-wicket win in the semi-final of the MSC Suffolk Alliance Cup on Sunday.

In an improbable finish BT & Waldringfield secured an amazing win over Southwold as Francis and Samayit Talukdar completed a half-century stand for the 10th wicket when Francis smashed the last ball of the day high over mid-wicket for six when four were required for victory.

Neither team has ever played in an Alliance Cup final, and there will be a new name on the trophy as St Margarets knocked out five-time winners Sudbourne Hall in the other semi-final.

Southwold had recovered from a slow start thanks to Craig Gorst-Allman’s 65 to reach 162 for eight from their 40 overs. Kevin Nunn gave Waldringfield a good start with 49, but when the ninth wicket fell at 115 the result seemed settled.

But the last pair then got down to work and Francis produced an immaculately-timed finish.

There was a similarly close finish at Ransomes. Mick Peck (85) and Tom Jenkin (80) led Sudbourne Hall to 199 for five, but Paul Allen (91), Carl Fitch (58) and Adam Storey (25) guided St Margarets to their total with Josh Silburn scoring the winning run with one ball and six wickets to spare.

In the Plate quarter-final, Mike Gilderson’s unbeaten century took Castle past the Stradbroke total of 241 to win by eight wickets in another last-over finale – this time with four balls left.

There was an impressive run chase as Brantham chased down the Wortham total of 201 for six. David Coleman (69 not out), James Coleman (28) and Karl Gooderham (27 not out) had led Wortham to their tally, but James Neale and Adrian Stockton both ended on 89 not out as Brantham reached their target for the loss of just one wicket.

The other quarter-finals were easier for Felixstowe and Martlesham Nomads. They bowled out Bawdsey for 61 and Felixstowe Corinthians for 65, to set up comfortable wins by seven wickets and six wickets respectively.

In the semi-finals, Brantham will entertain Castle while Felixstowe take on Martlesham Nomads.

There were a trio of low scores and a couple of close finishes in the Hunts County Bats Suffolk League.

Division One leaders Worlington skittled Edwardstone for 81 on their way to a 10-wicket win, but Cavendish Wanderers only managed 45 as they lost by the same margin to Rougham in Division Three.

Those two totals were eclipsed as Acton II managed just 35 as they lost by nine wickets to Stowupland in Division Five. Brockley were bowled out for 106 by Tuddenham in Division Two – but hit back to dismiss their rivals for 104.

And it was even closer in Division Three as Tendring Park scored 133 and then bowled out Hartest & Coldham for 132.

Worlington’s position at the top of Division One was improved as Mildenhall were bowled out for 156 and lost by four wickets at Acton.

Bury St Edmunds are still involved in the title chase and they beat Haverhill by 44 runs after a century from James McKinney.

There was yet another close finish in the Greene King Suffolk Premier League as Worlingworth just got home by one wicket to beat Stradbroke Vikings.

Richard Pierce-Saunderson carried his bat for an unbeaten 70 out of a Stradbroke total ot 195 for six, but it was not quite enough as A Sarangan (69) and Eric Davy (48) replied for Worlingworth.

The final decisive partnership was between Ben Absolon (13 not out) and P Ratcliffe (five not out) who kept their nerve to secure victory by one wicket.

Greene King Suffolk Premier League

Lakenheath II 92. *Walsham 93 for 2. Walsham (20) bt Lakenheath II (1) by 8 wkts.

Stradbroke Vikings 195 for 6 (R Pierce-Saunderson 70no, J Franklin-Mann 27, J Pearson 24, L Smith 21). *Worlingworth 198 for 9 (A Sarangan 69, E Davy 48, S Rugani 5 for 40, L Smith 3 for 46). Worlingworth (20) bt Stradbroke (8) by 1 wkt.

Hunts County Bats Suffolk League

Division One

Lakenheath 215 for 2 (S Leech 118no, D Reynolds 44). Ampton & Culford 216 for 3 (C Estlea 108, Smithers 67). Ampton & Culford (20) bt Lakenheath (6) by 7 wkts.

Bury St Edmunds 222 for 7 (J McKinney 102, M Nunn 37, J Wordley 3 for 47, D Pass 3 for 36). Haverhill 178 for 8 (S Hartshorn 46, I Savage 37, T Rothbotham 3 for 33). Bury St Edmunds (20) bt Haverhill (7) by 44 runs.

Edwardstone 81 (A Watson 4 for 27). Worlington 85 for 0 (J Watson 53no). Worlington (20) bt Edwardstone by 10 wkts.

Sudbury 217 for 7 (A Mansfield 97, Stringer 3 for 46). Woolpit 201 for 7 (T Whiteman 103, W Parker 33, J Crame 30, Hyett 3 for 53). Sudbury (20) bt Woolpit (8) by 16 runs.

Mildenhall 156. Acton 157 for 6. Acton (20) bt Mildenhall (6) by 4 wkts.

Division Two

Brettenham 173 for 7 (B Barker 94, J Finbow 4 for 46). Stowmarket 174 for 2 (T Madanayake 84, J Richardson79no). Stowmarket (20) bt Brettenham (4) by 8 wkts.

Brockley 106. Tuddenham 104. Brockley (20) bt Tuddenham ( 6) by 2 runs.

Hadleigh 231 for 5 (M Spence 103no). Battisford 103. Hadleigh (20) bt Battisford (3) by 128 runs.

Exning 197 for 9 (B Readman 58, A Longfield 57, O Lawson 46, L Fairweather 5 for 30). Mellis 198 for 7 (N Spence 64, B Box 43, C Farrant 42, R Shepherd 3 for 22). Mellis (20) bt Exning (7) by 3 wkts.

Division Three

Horringer 149 (I Christfellow 63, A Bendall 4 for 22, J Murray 3 for 33). Thurston 150 for 4 (A Bendall 46, T Francis 50). Thurston (20) bt Horringer (4) by 6 wkts.

Earl Stonham 191 for 9 (C Tunstall 71, K Howes 4 for 15). Nowton 184 for 9 (J Ridgeon 42, D Meeson 39, J Macrow 3 for 40). Earl Stonham (20) bt Nowton (8) by 7 runs.

Tendring Park 133. Hartest & Coldham 132. Tendring Park (20) bt Hartest & Coldham (7) by 1 run.

Lavenham 102 (K Vaughan 4 for 11). BSSSC 105 for 6 (J Taylor 31no C Boon 5 for 23). BSSSC (20) bt Lavenham (4) by 4 wkts.

Cavendish Wanderers 45 (N Drewry 3 for 28, R Pruden 3 for 9). Rougham 47 for 0. Rougham (20) bt Cavendish Wanderers (0) by 10 wkts.

Division Four

Mildenhall II 147 for 6 (J Taylor 52). Bardwell 149 for 4 (S Larder 55, J Palmer 30no). Bardwell (20) bt Mildenhall II (4) by 6 wkts.

Long Melford 211 for 5 (D Bigg 42, B Pettitt 42, N Samuels 3 for 47). Risby 90 (I Newman 4 for 28, M Bigg 3 for 34). Long Melford (20) bt Risby (2) by 121 runs.

Woolpit Academy 100 (S Saville 7 for 14). Haverhill II 104 for 2 (Botten 49no). Haverhill (20) bt Woolpit Academy (2) by 8 wkts.

Sudbury II 224 for 6 (C Phillips 87, S Ruffell 51). Battisford II 83 (S Nair 5 for 31, A Macdiarmid 3 for 18). Sudbury II (20) bt Battisford II (3) by 141 runs.

Division Five

Elveden 220 for 5 (J Trett 89no, D Radic 58). Hadleigh Academy 175 for 8 (R McGowan 54, S Hasndley 31). Elveden (20) bt Hadleigh Academy (6) by 35 runs.

Rougham II 220 for 7 (S Hubbard 60, D Norburn 37). Walsham le Willows II 195 for 9 (S Lynn 45). Rougham II (20) bt Walsham le Willows II (7) by 25 runs.

Elmswell 190 for 9 (D Reed 62no). Mellis II 170 for 9. Elmswell (20) bt Mellis II (7) by 20 runs.

Acton II 35 (Cole 4 for 13, Gregory 3 for 3). Stowupland 36 for 1. Stowupland (20) bt Acton II (0) by 9 wkts.

MSC Suffolk Alliance

Cup semi-finals

Southwold 162 for 8 (C Gorst-Allman 65, S Surendra 3 for 30). *BT & Waldringfield (K Nunn 49, D Francis 32no, S Talukdar 25no, R Moore 5 for 28). BT & Waldringfield won by 1 wkt.

Sudbourne Hall 199 for 5 (M Peck 85, T Jenkin 80). *St Margarets 203 for 4 (P Allen 91, C Fitch 58, A Storey 25). St Margarets won by 6 wkts.

Plate quarter-finals

Stradbroke 241 for 5 (S Warner 69, J Franklin-Mann 49no, O Bickley 42no, D Tompkins 30). *Castle 242 for 2 (M Gilderson 100no, D Clarke 72no, D Adams 32, A Leach 20). Castle won by 8 wkts.

Bawdsey 61 (I Mutter 25, T Sills 3 for 14). *Felixstowe 62 for 3 (J Heathcote 22). Felixstowe won by 7 wkts.

Wortham 201 for 6 (D Coleman 69no, J Coleman 28, K Gooderham 27no). *Brantham 202 for 1 (J Neale 89no, A Stockton 89no). Brantham won by 9 wkts.

Felixstowe Corinthians 65 (I Sexton 23, K Wright 4 for 4). *Martlesham Nomads 66 for 4 (B Connelly 31no). Martlesham won by 6 wkts.

Semi-final draw: Brantham v Castle, Felixstowe v Martlesham Nomads.

Section A

Ipswich (20) received a walk-over from BT & Waldringfield (0).

Section D

Stradbroke II 286 for 4 (D Allum 98no, S Taylor 66no, L Smith 56, T White 3 for 69). *DBSL 203 (B Garnham 89, O Williams 27). Stradbroke II (20) bt DBSL (7) by 83 runs.

Yoxford 237 for 3 (J Bailey 108no, Sadnanid 89). *Nacton 127 for 9 (K Handscombe 27). Yoxford (19) bt Nacton (4) by 110 runs.

* denotes home team