ALEX Gould hit a magnificent 111 not out to power Settle Seconds to victory in Sunday’s Lawrenson Cup final at Marshfield.

Gould hit four sixes and six fours as he enabled his side to chase down the Stacksteads first team’s score of 211-9 to win by four wickets with 4.1 overs to spare.

Gould ensured that his team were never behind the required rate. He was joined in an opening stand of 68 by Kyle Handy (21).

Handy, who was stumped by John Hindle as he tried to play a ball to leg, was the first of three wickets for Matt Croney who was the best of the Stacksteads bowlers.

Croney also brought an end to a second-wicket stand of 62 when he trapped wicketkeeper Shaun Airey lbw for 18. When Croney (3-35) removed Adam Strickland lbw with his next ball, Settle were 130-3.

Gould was untroubled by the double setback and continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Ben Hulse (15) and Alan Lones (3) were dismissed by Ansar Mahmood (2-25) while Edward Keighley fell to Andy Jones before Joe Pickles joined Gould to seal victory.

The victory justified skipper Ben Mitchell’s decision to ask Stacksteads to bat first on a bright afternoon with no hint of the overnight rain that had hit the area.

Openers Hindle (53) and Ellis Hussay (45) made quick runs and with the top order all contributing the score quickly pushed on to 114-2 off 18 overs.

The introduction of Hulse to the bowling attack slowed the scoring, although at 160-2, Settle still looked as if they would be chasing a big score.

Tight bowling was supported by good fielding and the wickets started to fall. Hulse finished with excellent figures of 3-23 off eight overs while Pickles bowled tightly at the death,

Stacksteads finished on 210-9 with captain Jonathan Butterworth run out off the last ball of their 40 overs.

Settle’s bowlers had done well to apply the breaks in the closing stages of the innings and it proved crucial once Gould got to work.