ROWLEDGE Renegades won the ECB Surrey Vitality U19 T20 Tier 2 competition at the first attempt at Cheam CC on Monday.

The Renegades beat Horsley & Send Mustangs by just five runs in a tense, exciting final, played in a great spirit by both teams.

Electing to bat first on a damp track was a brave decision, but Rowledge openers Max Martin (38) and Fraser Wilson (37) got off to a flyer in the six-over powerplay and, with the help of wides, raced to 60-0 after seven overs.

Martin and Toby Elstow (19) continued to play expansive shots, but then Renegades lost five wickets for 10 runs and were held to what looked a gettable 139-9 in their 20 overs.

Rowledge picked up two early wickets, but an entertaining partnership between Yousif Hafiz (48) and Dan Collett (37) made the Renegades work overtime in the field and swung the contest in Horsley & Send’s favour.

The game changed when Jack Cantwell bowled Collett, but still Send crept towards the the target until they needed seven runs to win off the last over.

Captain Ben Wish stepped up to the plate and consistently beat the bat. Requiring five off the last ball, Mustangs managed only a single and Rowledge, the West Group winners, were overall champions.