ABBOTSKERSEWELL won by the narrowest of margins at Filleigh in a game that finished on a knife edge.

Abbots were all out for 239 in the 42nd of their 45 overs – Tom Keily (38) just pipping opener Charlie Mitchell (37) for top score.

A combination of bad light and rain stopped play 37 overs into Filleigh’s reply when they were 196 for five.

Umpires Gambie and Wheatley were unhappy with Abbots operating pace bowler Riccardo Small -Boyce in the conditions and took the players off.

When the run rates were worked out, Filleigh would have required 197 to win in the 37 overs bowled.

The overs ran out with Filleigh on 196 for five, which at first glance suggested a tie. Apparently not.

Abbots’ par score on run rate for 37 overs was 196.47 – and that was enough to win them the game.

League officials have been consulted, the rules checked and rechecked and the decision is Filleigh lost.

Charlie Hill, the Abbots’ captain, said he would have preferred to have won it out on the field.

“In the end run rate went in our favour,” said Hill.

“It is not the way you want to win, but in a tough division like this we will take it.”

Mitchell was first out on 61, followed without addition by fellow opener James Fulner then Charlie Hill.

Keily and Alex Birt (27) put on 48 but both were out by the time the score reached 166 for six.

Bits and pieces – Aron Owen (15), Small-Boyce (18) and Elliott Adams (21) - added 73 for the final four wickets.

Ryan Bowden (3-32) pipped Jon Hickman (2-47) and Connor Nash (2-46) in the bowling returns.

Filleigh openers Rob Collier (18) and Mark Prideaux (25) made a 51-run dent in the deficit, then Justin Saker (34) and Ryan Bowden wiped out 51 more.

Harley Ashdown was on 57 not out when the game was halted eight overs early.

Hill said Abbots were seldom at their best and have work to do, especially batting.

“We had a lot of starts but nobody went on the make the big score,” said Hill.

“Two wins is a good start, but we aren't firing on all cylinders yet.

“Our bowling is keeping us in the games at the moment.

Connor (3-37) and Elliott Adams (0-28) bowled tightly in the middle overs, but credit to the Filleigh batsmen as they made a good game of it.”

Simon Prideaux, the Filleigh captain, felt there was a game to be won when the umpires came off and said he felt hard done by.

“They were worried about the Abbots quickie bowling short in poor conditions, which is understandable but they didn’t ask the batsmen how they felt about it,” said Prideaux.

“Losing by point four of a run is bad enough, more so when we felt we were in with a chance.

“We had two batsmen well set, five wickets in hand and eight overs to get 44 to win.

“Would we have won? I would be interested to know what Duckworth-Lewis would have said about it.”

Checking with a Premier Division scorer equipped with the correct software revealed Duckworth-Lewis would have given it to Filleigh by 17 runs.