For they suffered a narrow three-run defeat in the regional final of the national club championship, the ECB Cockspur Cup.

Entertaining Ockbrook and Borrowash, the unbeaten leaders of the Derbyshire Premier League, Papplewick were given a golden chance by the weather.

For Ockbrook's innings was curtailed by mid-afternoon rain, which suddenly reduced the match to 32 overs per side.

At the time of the stoppage, the visitors were sailing along at 145 for three. But when they returned after the rain, the rules of the competition meant they had only four more balls to face – and they duly finished on 153 for four, of which opener Matt Cassar made 81 not out.

Papplewick's reply got off to a bad start against some fine bowling and they slid to 27 for four with skipper Phil DeFreitas dismissed for 23 by his former Derbyshire CCC teammate Trevor Smith, who was best man at his wedding!

But an excellent knock of 46 by Taimoor Khan, backed by 24s from Charlie Dagnall and Jim Rhodes, gave the home side every chance.

When Khan was run out by a throw from the boundary, Papplewick needed 34 to win from the final four-and-a-half overs.

But in a nailbiting finale, three more wickets fell and after requiring nine from the last over, they managed only five.

Victory would have taken Papplewick into the last 16 and the national knockout stages of the competition, which culminates in a final at Lord's.

Said manager Robin Rhodes: "We were bitterly disappointed to lose but it has been a wonderful adventure for us and, hopefully, we can go a bit further next year."