Whisper it quietly, but only Armageddon can stop Stradbroke A winning the MSC Alliance Section B title now after beating Ipswich and East Suffolk II by four wickets.

NOTHING can stop Stradbroke A winning the MSC Alliance Section B title now after beating Ipswich and East Suffolk II by four wickets.

Once more when facing adversity, they dug deep to secure victory.

Their seamers had little joy as G Bone (46) and T Gayfer (41) saw off the new ball before launching an assault.

It needed the off-spin of Steve Warner (4-38) to remove both, but could not budge young H Howlett (46no) who combined stroke play with quick running.

A total of 191 looked a distance away at 23 for 2, but slowly David Allum (24) and Stuart Taylor rebuilt with a 45-run stand.

Joe Pearson (20) chose the fast option, adding 43 as Taylor caught the mood.

With 15 overs left the score stood at 118 for 6, but as club No. 8's go, James Ling is useful indeed.

Rotating the strike measuredly, it allowed Taylor to accelerate once more. I&ES were powerless to stop their progress, and with acute timing in the penultimate over, Ling hit his only boundary to win the match.

His share of a 76-run stand was 30, leaving Taylor 90 not out, deserving of a hundred, but Stradbroke A are very much a team.

Ipswich and East Suffolk II 190 for 6, Stradbroke A 194 for 6 (S Taylor 90no).