Nottinghamshire Academy’s final match in the Nottinghamshire Premier League finished in a draw as rain interrupted the run chase of hosts West Indian Cavaliers.

Wet weather saw a delayed start at Birchover Park, which reduced the match to 35 overs per side before the Academy won the toss and elected to bat first.

Opener Connor Marshall was run out for 5 by Kenny Tuitt from the fifth ball of the six over with the score on 22.

The fifty was reached off the last ball of the 11th over from 66 balls, but Chris Gibson went for 18 soon after when he was caught by keeper Bilal Shafayat off the bowling of Maurice Chambers.

Tom Keast was next to the crease and faced only four balls before being caught at square leg by Usman Farooq off Chambers.

When Louis Kimber was out for 2, trapped lbw by Adam Tillcock off the second ball of the 16th over, and then Liam Patterson-White was caught at slip for a duck, the Academy were in trouble at 61-5.

Rain shortly stopped play, with an early tea taken, and, on the resumption, Lyndon James and Hassan Chaudry posted the first fifty stand of the game from 65 balls.

James completed his half century off the first ball of the 28th over (64 balls, two fours, two sixes), but the partnership was broken on 67 when Chaudry was bowled for 20 by Shahzada Khan.

Jack Blatherwick (pictured) managed 12 before he was bowled by Kafeel Shafique, while Louis Bhabra went for 2, caught by keeper Shafayat from the same bowler.

Riecko Parker-Cole ended on 4 not out and James unbeaten on 71 to see the visitors through to the close on 168-8.

The Academy made an early breakthrough in the Cavaliers’ reply as Riecko Parker-Cole had Akhil Patel caught by keeper Tom Keast for 1.

Parker-Cole struck again in the eighth over, this time bowling Michael Millwood for 2, making the score 17-2.

Former Notts player Shafayat, who made 22 not out, joined Hasan Azad, 25 not out, and the pair steadied the ship, bringing the fifty up off the fourth ball of the 15th over from 89 balls.

However, rain stopped play three balls into the 17th over with the score on 57-2 and forced the abandonment of the match, with the Cavaliers taking nine points and the Academy 10. 

The Notts side finished eighth in the 12-team table, with Cuckney pipping Plumtree to the title by four points, while Welbeck were bottom of the pile and relegated.

Click here for full scorecard.

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