A former Cumberland captain has helped England to win the Over-50s World Cup in South Africa.
Marcus Sharp skippered the Minor Counties side between 2004 and 2009, while he had a 17-year association with the county, playing from 1994 to 2011.
In that time he took 344 wickets while his club career was spent largely at Blackpool in the Northern League.
England defeated hosts South Africa at Newlands after setting their hosts a daunting 268 to win from their 40 overs. They never really gained any momentum in the run chase and were on 202-8 at the end of their overs.
Sharp, now aged 52, bowled his eight over allocation and took 1-31 with his economy rate of 3.88 the best of the England attack.
Richard Cooper finished with figures of 3-39 and spinner Martyn Gidley also returned the same figures.
Alan Dawson took his time to get going, but by the time he accelerated the game was all but over, despite him making 92 for the South Africans.
Rain had delayed the start of the final, but England shrugged off that inconvenience to post a commanding 267-8. Sharp, a confirmed number eleven, did not bat.
Opener Giles Ecclestone led the way with a sparkling 120, which came off just 103 balls and contained 11 fours and three sixes.
It’ been a long hard road for the England team who started the tournament on March 6 against Namibia, winning by 204 runs and Sharp had 1-5 off seven overs.
They then beat the United Arab Emirates by 56 runs when Sharp was able to put his feet up. Then it was India and a win by five wickets when Sharp didn’t play.
He was back in against Pakistan when England suffered their only defeat, and had 0-32 from his nine overs.
The first meeting with South Africa resulted in a win by three wickets and Sharp took 1-31 from seven overs.
He did not play against Cricket Wales but was back with 1-28 from nine in a four wicket win over the USA.
