CRICKET: Last ball tie as Swindon middle order collapses

9:41am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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SKIPPER Darren Beasant insists he is "still at a loss" to explain his side's failed run chase at Lydney as Swindon somehow escaped with a tie in a frantic final-ball mix-up, writes GARETH MOORHOUSE.

Chasing 191 for victory, Swindon were seemingly cruising at 140-2 after 35 overs before the wheels fell off in the middle order.

The visitors required just 25 runs from the last seven overs with six wickets in hand, but somehow conspired to hand the initiative back to Lydney, who looked dead and buried.

Needing seven from the last over, it was left to Sri Lankan Asanka Vithanage to score three from the final ball.

He hit the ball straight to mid-on and it looked as though only a single would come, but a misfield and an overthrow allowed Swindon to scramble a second for an incredible tie.

Afterwards, Beasant held an inquest into where the run chase had faltered.

He said: "There can be no excuses for not chasing that total down from the position we were in.

"We have plenty of experience in that batting order and I'm still at a loss to explain how we didn't win.

"In the end, we were relieved to come away with a draw because it looked as though we had thrown it away.

"On the plus side, we have had two away games and we've won one and tied one.

"I'm glad this happened to us in week two of the season because it gives us time to learn from the lessons."

The bizarre end to the match threatened to overshadow Bruce Martin's superb century for the County Ground outfit, who for the most part dominated the Lydney attack.

Will Nichols was the pick of the Swindon bowlers before tea, his figures of 3-33 helping to reduce Lydney to 190-7.

• SWINDON 2nd crushed Lydney by 114 runs in the reverse fixture at the County Ground.

Jamie Baden's 58 help Swindon post 218-9 in their 45 overs, before Allen Payne took 4-20 to help dismiss Lydney for just 104.