AT last! Stoke Gabriel finally got their hands on the Corinthian Cup after defeating Budleigh Salterton by five wickets in a gripping final at Cornwood.

It was Stoke Gabriel’s fifth consecutive appearance at finals day, from which they had gone home empty handed every previous time.

Stoke qualified for the final with a seven-run win over Plymstock in a rain-affected lunchtime semi. Budleigh quashed Clyst St George by nine wickets in the other semi-final.

Budleigh’s posted 175 for eight in a full-length Twenty20 game with Ed Doble (34) and Luke Domaschenz (53) getting them away to an 84-run start.

Stoke skipper Jack Tolley rotated his bowlers well to slow Budleigh in the second half and they were limited to 175 for eight. James Doble (31) was the last man out.

Runs from Justin Pringle (54), Abhishek Anand (22) and a rapid 30 off 12 balls from Adriaan (corr) Maxwell had Stoke players and supporters daring to dream …

Budleigh bowlers Hugh Moore (0-31), Sid Fereday (2-28) and Ed Doble (2-38) were equally determined to shatter Stoke’s illusions.

Stoke reached the last three overs requiring 16 to win with six wickets intact. Liam Mair (15) and Mike Meech were the batters in residence.

It all came down to the final over from Ryan Harris-Cotton, who was bowling to Meech defending a two-run lead. Three dot balls only added to the tension before Meech launched Harris-Cotton back over his head for the match-winning six.

Pringle was named man of the match for his contribution to the run chase, although Maxwell (30 and two for 14 with the ball) potentially had a claim as well.

Said Tolley: “What a day! Credit to all of our players for giving everything to bring home the trophy at long last.

“Despite the ball flying around in the wet conditions we fielded very well.

“Our long batting line-up fired in both games and bowlers executed their plans, most of the time.

“Justin and Abhishek were fantastic up top and Adriaan came in and hit it from ball one in both games. The firepower from all of our batting got us over the line.”

Tolley added a thank-you to the ground staff at Cornwood for ‘getting the game on in bleak conditions.’

They also had league action to contend with and they did themselves a favour when they defeated rock-bottom Abbotskerswell by 50 runs.

It was a win Stoke needed to put some distance between themselves and the wrong end of the table, which is now 19 points behind them.

Stoke bat a long way down the order, which was demonstrated by a 45-over total of 286 for seven.

Opener Justin Pringle (22) and Abhishek Anand (31) got the innings started. Mike Meech (41) kicked on to 165 for seven ten eight and nine batters Liam Mair (69no) and Jake Robinson (57no) added 121 unbroken in the final 15 overs.

Anthony Miller (4-49) was Abbots’ most successful bowler.

Opener James Tyler (52) gave Abbots some stability at one end and Jamie Lock (35) followed sit at the other during a stand of 76.

Mair had some unfinished business with Abbots as he came on and took four wickets for 51 runs – three in the space of 11 legal balls –to rip out the middle order.

Tom Heath (44) and Max Yates (21no) tried to resume the chase, but too much damage had been done and Abbots subsided to 236 for nine.