Huge congratulations to our 3rd Team who clinched victory on the final ball in their final match of 2025 to claim the Division 8 (south) league championship.

In a rain affected match, Sawley dismissed Rolleston for 92, but with 2nd placed Dunstall defeating Castle Donington by just 13 runs in another tense game, only victory would ensure the title for Mick Hopkins already promoted team.

The chase wasn’t straight forward however, and once Joseph Woodward was dismissed, Sawley were rocking at 85/8, with just 16 balls left to bowl in what became a timed match.

Hopkins and junior Harvey Chambers, playing just his 2nd senior match, edged closer to their target, with Chambers hitting the winning run from the final delivery with both batters diving in at both ends, whilst a throw to the non-strikers end narrowly missed the stumps.

The team had occupied top spot for each of the last 10 weeks of the season, and hadn’t tasted any defeat since a losing draw in their 10th match of the campaign – losing just once overall in the whole season, collecting vital points in losing draws on 4 other occasions, and winning a total of 14 games.

A brilliant effort from all 31 players who turned out for the side during the season, and to the skipper Mick Hopkins who only stepped back into the role just before the start of the season, only to steer the side to the Championship in what was just their 3rd season back at this level.

#SuperSawley