THE toss of a coin decided the fait of Colwall in the National Village Knockout Cup.

Fortunately the hosts it went in their favour to set up a last-16 tie at Astwood Bank on Sunday.

Last weekend Colwall welcomed South West Wales side Bronwydd in their last-32 match and despite rain threatening the game got underway.

Electing to bowl on the slightly damp track Colwall significantly hampered the opposition’s scoring rate through the tight, threatening bowling lines of Luke Dalley and Mikey Gooch (3-18) and Bronwydd were in trouble on 52-3 from 18 overs.

However, with the pitch beginning to dry, Bronwydd found scoring much easier and accrued a 50 run partnership between the 18th and 27th over, through skipper Ollie Furneaux and Merion Davies.

The off spin of Olly Cox (3-20) eventually made the breakthrough for Colwall and Bronwydd fell for a meagre 137 all out.

The Colwall batting reply exuded confidence and was able to deal with anything the Bronwydd bowling line up had to offer.

Cox and Ben Cooke put on a partnership of 51 for the first wicket before Cox was harshly adjudged LBW in the 12th over to depart for 15.

With dark clouds circling the ground, Cooke attempted to increase the Colwall run rate to ensure they were ahead of the required rate, with a series of lusty blows through cover and a sumptuous pull shot through mid-wicket.

Midway through the 16th over, the heavens opened and Stowe Lane witnessed one of the most torrential downpours in recent memory.

With the Colwall reply not reaching 20 overs, the game was unable to be adjudicated on whether Colwall were ahead of the average run rate for the Bronwydd innings.

Unlike previous years, a replay was also not possible with the next round of the competition the following weekend and with the umpires and captains determining that a bowl off would unsafe due to the condition of the ground, it was left to the toss of a coin to decide who would progress.

The Bronwydd captain incorrectly called heads and Colwall progressed to the next round, the first time they have done so via a coin toss in their 148 year history.