Club cricketer faces 137 balls for 0 in draw

An opening batsman in club cricket faced 137 balls for 0 not out in a bizarre match on Saturday.

Ian Bestwick helped Darley Abbey Cricket Club’s 4th XI to a 21-4 final score after 45 overs against Mickleover’s 3rd XI, who fell 251 runs short of victory.

Both teams are bottom of the table in Division Nine, south of the Derbyshire Cricket League.

Thomas Bestwick also contributed four runs from 71 balls – the runs all coming from one scoring strike – and Nicholas Cutting remained unbeaten on 0 runs from 34 balls, with nine additional runs adding to the score.

Darley Abbey’s innings was a response to Mickleover’s 271-4 from 35 overs, with opener Max Thomson scoring a contrasting 186 from 128 balls with 17 fours and 14 sixes.

Mickleover took 18 points from the match, while Darley Abbey took three.

The home side posted on social media that Bestwick’s opening over was bowled by Dan Heaton, who bowled 10 overs for just seven runs, but the match was ruled a no-ball.

BBC Sport approached Darley Abbey about the match but did not respond.

Full scorecard, external