Wheathampstead’s woes in the final over finally ended on Saturday when Nick Martin picked up seven runs to lift his side above Hatfield Hyde.

Twice this season Wheathampstead have been beaten in the final over, the opener at Baldock and on July 4 against Old Elizabethans, and it looked to be more of the same on Saturday when they needed seven off the last six balls.

Lady luck was smiling on Martin, though, as he followed up a straight drive for four with a top edge that landed safely. With him and Matt Corran pushing for an ill-advised second run, a wayward thrown allowed them to pick up a third and seal a dramatic win.

It was no more than the team deserved after Sam Ledger smartly put Hatfield into bat and his bowlers restricted them to 163-9 off 53 overs. Martin led the attack with 6-53 and David Dabare added two wickets to his season’s tally.

The run chase didn’t start well as the drying wicket continued to offer up a lot of movement. At 30-3, captain Ledger rode his luck on his way to a half-century before falling in quick succession with Todd Houlahan and Dillan Yogenda.

Corran joined Martin in the middle after Dabare had put Wheathampstead on track to overturn their target. Corran made his half-century before Martin took control in the final over to finally hand Wheathampstead a last-gasp victory.