CANON Frome’s Peter Elkington took eight wickets for just five runs in a match-winning performance to beat Ombersley 3rd XI in Worcestershire League Division Six.

The all-rounder’s five-over spell included a hat-trick, and he had earlier smashed 56 with the bat – from just 21 balls.

Ombersley were in hot pursuit of their 249 target at 129-2, but when Elkington came on to bowl, he produced his best-ever bowling figures to see the visitors skittled out for just 134.

“It wasn’t working for the rest of us bowlers,” said Frome skipper Andy Lloyd.

“It was a skiddy track and we had a few interruptions with the covers having to come on and off, so it was hard to bowl on.

“But Pete came on and bowled his medium pace, putting it in the right areas. I’ve never known a collapse quite like it,” admitted Lloyd.

Elkington said: “Everything just fell into place.

“They were racing away with it and I think they were convinced they were going to win as they were well ahead of the rate in the 17th over.

“I just put the ball in the right places and the wicket helped.

“The ball was swinging a bit and we just put the pressure on them and there were a lot of catches around the bat,” added Elkington.

Frome made 248-7 from their 45 overs, with opener Alec Backhouse scoring 47 at the top of the order.

James Fortnam hit 50 that included some cheeky reverse-sweep boundaries before Elkington’s big hitting at the end of the innings.

“It was a slow pitch to bat on but I just came in and went aerial,” said Elkington, whose 56 included four sixes and six fours.

In reply, Ombersley made a solid start, but when Elkington came on, he bowled the visitors’ dangerous David Allen one short of his half-century, and the collapse began.

Two Elkington overs saw five wickets fall – with five of the last six batsmen failing to score a single run.

The Frome hero added: “I went and bought a few jugs at The Hopton after!”