HEROIC cricketer David Stratford helped his team win their championship – despite having a broken foot!

The Emley Clarence all-rounder suffered the injury while bowling for the Second XI in their title decider against Lepton Highlanders.

Instead of going to hospital for a check-up, the 24-year-old stayed at the Welfare Ground for the whole match, went in to bat at No9 and scored 32 vital runs as Emley secured a two-wicket victory with three balls to spare.

A visit to accident and emergency the following day revealed he’d broken the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot, and he’s now in pot and on crutches for the next six weeks.

“It was painful, but it was well worth it,” said Dave, whose team clinched the Drakes League Cedar Court Conference Two title with the victory and will play in the top flight next summer.

“I don’t think running on the field in celebration did me any favours – every second step I was reeling in agony – but it was a great match to be involved in and a great result for the whole team.”

A business and economics graduate from the University of Northumbria, Dave – who works at Britvic’s bottled water plant in Birkby – has played with Emley since he was 10. His brother, Craig, is club treasurer, helps with the juniors and plays in the first team.

Lepton were all out for 194 in the match. Emley finished on 195-8, with Gareth Ferguson seeing them home with 39 not out.

“I bowled only the one over in the match, but as soon as I hit my final delivery stride I just felt something go,” explained right-arm seamer Dave, who lives in Netherton, near Wakefield.

“For the rest of the day I was basically hobbling around and, when I wasn’t, I had my foot in ice and was taking ibuprofen like it was going out of fashion.

“People kept telling me to go to the hospital, but there was no way I was going to miss such an important game and, when it came to our innings, I managed to go out and bat with a runner (a teammate doing the running instead of him).

“We needed 66 off 13 overs when I went in and about 16 off six when I was out.

“The lads managed to knock those off in the last over and we were chuffed to bits to win the title because there was so much at stake in the game and it’s been a real team effort all through the season.”

Drakes Second XI round-up – Page 43.