SLIDESHOW: Edwinstowe clinch spot in Bassetlaw top flight

Edwinstowe suffered a chasing at the hands of Clumber Park who, after a poor start, came good in big style with Warren Rhodes making a magnificent unbeaten 101 and Piers Hampson contributing 48.

The final score of 250-9 must have been beyond their wildest dreams and certainly set Edwinstowe one hell of a target.

It was not to be as Edwinstowe made 72-2 before rain and bad light finished the match, but they had done enough to become champions and worthy ones at that.

Retford’s match with Whitwell followed a similar scenario with the latter putting on their finest batting display of the season.

Alan Draycott (49), Brandon Pritchard (32) and Greg Searston, who was heartbreakingly run out on 99, certainly gave their side a real lift as Whitwell totalled 230-7.

Retford had reached 30 without loss when rain set in, but the points gained were enough to ensure they were back at the top next season.

Whitwell’s 10 points gained were enough to keep them in the league next season and their recent performances have shown they deserved to escape.

Firbeck took 17 points from West Indian Cavaliers II, but it was still not enough to guarantee them promotion. Liam Summers (37), Adam Dutton (50) and Adam Walker (70) all scored heavily as Firbeck reached 244-7 when the overs ran out.

In reply the Cavaliers were heavily indebted to Suman Shrestha, who batted brilliantly for his 90, and if he had gained the right amount of support they may well have pulled off a famous victory. They concluded on 190-8 with Nathan Parry blasting through the middle-order with a devastating spell of 4-22.

Blidworth finally finished fourth and were on the wrong end of a weather draw against Harthill, who had looked the most likely side to win.

Harthill made a massive 244-6 with great knocks from Anthony Collinson (63), Jamie Taylor (50), Rob Jones (53 not out) and Thomas Marsh (40 not out) all causing headaches for the Blidworth attack, which was well served by Lewis Robinson, who bagged 5-47 and also included an hat-trick.

Blidworth lost wickets steadily and were 147-6 when rain curtailed play.

Only Andy Watson (30) and Mark Walker (31) made much impact as James Green (3-49) and Tom Marsh (3-16) set up Harthill for a likely win.

Everton lost a high-scoring match against Mansfield in a real cracker at the Metcalfe Ground. Everton made 217-5 with Gareth Campion (117 not out) batting superbly and good support coming from John Waghorne (36) and Dan Leach (36).

Mansfield set about the task with relish and won the match after a magnificent effort with 219-3 by seven wickets. Keiron Evans (80 not out), Blake Walter (66) and Gareth Wharmby (40) all batted brilliantly as they claimed a fantastic win.

Both Welbeck II and Cuckney II believed they had a chance of escaping the drop, but as it turned out it didn’t really matter.

However, the two sides produced a fantastic and extremely dramatic match which was won off the very last ball.

The wicket needed mass concentration and the Cuckney opening pair had just that with Elliott Hind (53) and Tom Richardson (31) defying everything Welbeck did to get them out. It was slow but effective and the final total of 158-6 represented a good effort.

Welbeck moved away to a reasonable start, but when the first wicket fell, a batch of cheap ones followed.

However a fine knock of 31 by Callum Herbert got them back on track and, despite some superb bowling by Andy Stephenson (3-28) and Connel Doughty (3-29), Liam Bentley smashed the final ball for a boundary to take Welbeck to 159-8 and victory amid scenes of wild delight.

The other results meant that both these sides were relegated, but if they can keep their sides together they must stand a great chance of regaining their place at the end of next season.