THE Jack Hampshire Cup final was made for TV coverage by Sky Sports.

The contrast in emotions after Yeadon’s two-wicket win over Birstall at Liversedge would have been ideal for the satellite channel’s roving cameraman.

Several of Birstall’s players were flat on their back in sheer disappointment out in the middle, while Yeadon’s players were jumping into each other’s arms nearby after the experienced Ryan Robinson and Paul Machell had seen them home when it seemed that the pendulum had swung against them.

In a pulsating final, Birstall had gone from 78-3 to 132 all out, while Yeadon’s innings similarly stuttered from 75-3 to 113-8 in one of those typically tense low-scoring affairs.

Then, a lone false shot apart that spooned just out of reach, Yeadon were seen home with ten balls to spare by skipper Ryan Robinson and Machell, who were quite happy to take singles, their calm on the pitch being in contrast to the tautness off it.

Few bowlers came away with poor figures, but James Massheder – the only Yeadon player not to bat – pipped fellow spinner Benedict Gundry (Birstall) for the man-of-the-match award.

James, whose younger brother Sam was man of the match in the semi-final win at Buttershaw St Paul’s, said: “I am really glad that I didn’t have to bat but Ryan and Paul did really well and Ginner (Andrew Robinson) had hit those sixes just before that.

“I was sitting outside near a load of Birstall supporters waiting to go in and I just wanted to be out of there so I went back into our changing room, shut the window and watched Ryan and Paul from there!

“I knew that Paul could bat and Ryan as well as we bat all the way down.”

Massheder added: “I thought that we were on top at the tea interval but I knew that James Russell and Birstall would come out and bowl well, although we thought that they might be a bit short on that front.”

There would have been a few flutters before tea when the 22-year-old leg-spinner came on to bowl in the 13th over with the Birstall score at 51-2.

“My first over the previous day against Jer Lane had gone for 20 and it knocked me off (my stride) for the rest of the game so I was really nervous before my first over here but I bowled really well.

“The wicket favoured pace off the ball, and it did spin, and there was variable bounce, which helped.”

After the early dismissal of the talented Josh Haynes, Ian Carradice (24) and Eric Austin (40), whose premeditated paddle sweep was effective, had got Birstall off to a solid start after they had won the toss and batted.

But Carradice spooned Andrew Robinson to mid-off, and Massheder then deceived Birstall skipper Nick Kaye into yorking himself and had Rishi Limbechaya and Ashley Burton stumped as Birstall slumped to 80-5.

Left-arm spinner Gareth Lee then trapped Austin and Gundry leg before and the innings was finished off by 17-year-old Tom Lindsay (3-21), who had Matty Dyson and Ryan Gray caught before dismissing Russell with a slower ball.

Lee took 2-25 and Andrew Robinson 2-26, while the persevering Machell (0-28) twice thought he had Austin lbw.

Yeadon looked favourites as long as either Lee or overseas player Sarmad Hameed were at the wicket but two sharp, low slip catches by Limbechaya put paid to openers Rob Smith (4) and Lee (19).

Lindsay (12) added 27 with Hameed put played too many aerial shots, and the game seemed to have turned in Birstall’s favour after the latter was caught behind by Carradice off skipper Nick Kaye to become the fourth wicket down.

A score of 75-3 became 85-7 as Sam Massheder and Aaron Day holed out at midwicket and Robbie Williams was bowled by Kaye.

Birstall were buoyant now but Andrew Robinson put the match back in the melting pot with 21 off 15 balls, including two fours and two sixes, and Machell and Ryan Robinson’s nous saw Yeadon home in a gripping finale.

Carradice said: “We knew that Hameed was a big wicket but Yeadon’s nine and 10 batted well and didn’t give us a chance.

“Their top four are very strong but we knew that we could get at their middle order, but credit to Ryan and Paul.

“We didn’t bat as well as we could have but didn’t value our wickets enough and didn’t bat out our overs (they were dismissed three overs short of their 40), which was the key really as we could have got another 10 or 15 runs.

“The spinners bowled well for both sides (left-armer Haynes was unlucky not to take a wicket in his eight overs, conceding only 13 runs).”

Birstall’s consolation may come with promotion from Championship Division Two as they are second, holding a 35-point lead over Yeadon with four matches to go.

Carradice added: “Hopefully we can get promoted – I reckon that we need two more wins - and push on next season in Championship Division One and stay up and compete.”

Massheder said: “We need to win every game and hope that Birstall slip up, but 35 points is a big margin.”