Pre-season favourites Gedling Colliery produced a premier performance to snatch the title from Plumtree who could not deliver in the final few games as pressure mounted. Jeff Burton produced the 5^th best bowling performance of the season taking 9/35 as Rolls Royce Leisure where blown away by Gedling’s remorseless fight for the win they needed to stand any chance of the title.

Rolls Royce batting first had no answer to the onslaught of Burton as they crumbled to a meagre 76, a total reached in style by Gedling for the loss of 4 wickets. Still, it may not have been good enough as Plumtree needed maximum 18 points in a winning draw or better to win the title that had been theirs for most of the season.  But as pressure and allegations mounted they started to show chinks as points were dropped in draws and losses over the final games.

Plumtree batting first racked up 207/8 to claim maximum batting points so it was then down to the bowlers to deliver the 9 wickets or absolute victory they required. Balderton then stepped in to spoil the home team’s party as they superbly played out a winning draw finishing on 153/3 to finish off Plumtree’s hopes.

It was not all gloom at the club though as Plumtree III are only 1 game away from the perfect season. Skipper Ross Crombie was quick to praise all his players who in turn have stepped up to produce a match winning performance, 15 of them so far. Their latest victory was over Radcliffe III (79/8), by 109 runs. With their 2^nd XI also winning and therefore confirming promotion from CD, Plumtree CC have had the most successful season in the league’s history, losing only 5 out of 53 games.

There were 5 centurions with Martin Widdowson topping the list with 141 against Loughborough Carillon II (161/7) for Gladstone (288/5). Richard Robson (128*) gave victory to Old Paviors (237/5) over Awsworth (200), who will start the new season in E if two SNCL clubs are relegated from the premier.

Lady Bay Boots II notched up win 14, and division EF champion’s spot, despite Jonathan Potts’ 101 for opponents Long Whatton (179), as Boots II held on to win by 35 runs. As a club cannot field two sides in the same division it will be interesting to see who Lady Bay Boots will decide are the 1^st XI for season 2005.

Jeff Burton’s 9/35 was the best bowling performance, but there was also a match winning performance from Clifton Village III’s (225/7) Paul Hills (7/16) over Hucknall III (58) as Clifton recorded their 14^th win to finish runners up to Plumtree III. Rolls Royce Leisure II (87) finished their season off in style winning Division J as Dave Summers (7/18) destroyed Woodborough (66) who amazingly can save themselves from relegation if they collect 20 points in their final fixture.

Nottingham Victoria won their first ever league trophy as they finished runners up to Carrington Cavaliers in Div L. Suny Bhatal’s 7/28 helped dismiss Stoke Bardolph (102) to win by 54 runs. Graham Britton (5/31) took a hat-trick as Newark II (157) took revenge over Rainworth (131) who had annihilated them in the season’s earlier fixture. Another hat-trick hero was Mike Brooks (5/38) as Radcliffe on Trent II (226/4) beat West Bridgfordians (177), Matt Stewart had hit 109* for Radcliffe in CD. With Wilsons (148) slipping up at home to Thrumpton (162/3) it means that Clifton Village II need just 5 points for promotion in their final game.

In Division K, Oxton (117) held on to the runners-up spot as they beat Lenton Abbey (40) who needed victory to take the position. Wilsons II (157 )held their nerve in a tense battle as 4 run outs brought Beeston II’s (151) challenge to an end just 7 runs short of victory, Wilsons will miss out on promotion if Keyworth II beat Lambley II in the final game of Division N.

Thrumpton III veteran Trevor Vennett-Smith was over the moon as he captained his mixture of youngsters and oldies to the Division R championship. Despite recording only 119 it was 39 runs too many for Long Eaton III who miss out on outright promotion.