Devizes 1st XI were involved in one of the closest finishes imaginable on Saturday as they tied with Chippenham 2nd XI in a rain-affected Wiltshire County Cricket League clash at London Road.

Devizes produced an excellent bowling display to restrict Chippenham to 126-8. Ben McGowan was the standout performer with a superb spell of 5-23 from his 9 overs, tearing through the Chippenham top order and claiming three maidens in the process. Darran Freegard also impressed with the ball, finishing with economical figures of 2-18 from 9 overs, while George Dunford chipped in with a wicket.

Chippenham never fully recovered after losing an early wicket for 0, although Grant Trewartha’s unbeaten 26 and Satish Kasireddy’s 21 helped push the visitors to a competitive total on a tricky surface.

There was also a memorable contribution in the field from newcomer Chris Robson, who was making his return to cricket after more than 20 years away from the game. Despite not getting the chance to bat, Robson produced a few brilliant stops in the outfield that saved an estimated nine runs — a moment that proved crucial in such a finely balanced contest.

Unfortunately rain interrupted play and Chippenham innings ended at 36 overs. After tea and a bit of sky watching Devizes started with a revised D/L target of 103 from 26 overs.

The reply got off to a steady start, with Anthony Beaven making 15 and Richard Mansell top-scoring with a composed 29. However, regular wickets kept the game finely balanced throughout. When Harry Scurr and Adam Batisson fell in quick succession, the pressure swung back towards Chippenham.

Darran Freegard then anchored the closing stages superbly, finishing unbeaten on 31 and guiding Devizes towards the target in a tense final few overs. With scores level at 102-7 at the end of the 26th over, the match ended in a dramatic tie, earning both sides 13 league points.

A frustratingly close finish for Devizes, but plenty of positives to take from a disciplined bowling performance, a hard-fought chase, and several standout individual moments in difficult conditions.