HANGING Heaton are the new champions of Yorkshire after a thrilling three-run win over Wakefield Thornes at Headingley.

It was an afternoon when time quite literally ran out for 2016 Yorkshire Premier League play-off winners Wakefield Thornes.

They received a five-run penalty for not bowling their overs in the required limit of three hours ten minutes.

Hanging Heaton, who made 231 in their 50 overs, restricted their opponents to 228-6 in a tense finish.

It came 24 hours after they had amassed 312-4 and bowled out York for 190 in their semi-final on the same ground.

Callum Geldart followed up his 90 not out against York with a man of the match-winning 85 which revived his side from 16-2.

Jubilant skipper Gary Fellows said: "What a weekend. We produced the perfect performance to beat York and have now shown real character to win the final.

"We were not at our best but we pulled through. Callum played a great innings. while our three bowlers – David Stiff, Tom Chippendale and Muhammad Rameez – were superb.

"They held their nerve at the end and it is great to have won the competition.

"I think the format has been great. To play at Headingley is special even for players like me who have been here before.

"This is a great way to end the season and full credit to the lads."

Hanging Heaton had to show their character to defeat a determined Thornes side who were anxious to retain their crown.

They struck two key blows in the early stages as Mahmood Rasool removed both Fellows and Joe Fraser cheaply.

With the prolific Nick Connolly unavailable, it put Hanging Heaton's batting line-up under strain – but Geldart rose to the challenge.

He needed a couple of slices of luck as the ball moved around early on and was dropped on two and 18.

Richard Foster, in his last game before retirement, proved a useful ally and made a valuable 36 in a stand of 104.

Geldart upped the tempo with some forceful play, striking three sixes and ten fours before falling for 85.

Left-arm spinner Akila Isanka was the best of the Thornes bowlers with 4-53 as wickets were sacrificed in pursuit of runs.

Hanging Heaton were finally all out for 231 with two balls of their 50 overs remaining.

It looked a below-par score, especially when Jared Warner and James Wolfenden made a bright start to the Thornes innings.

Hanging Heaton were sloppy in the field, dropping a number of catches and allowing unnecessary runs.

Thornes were looking in control even when danger man David Toft was run out by a rare piece of good fielding.

Warner looked in control until he was lbw to left-arm spinner Muhammad Rameez for 68.

The target came down to 32 from four overs, at which point Chippendale and Stiff responded to their captain's call.

Thornes needed 15 from the final over and although captain Tom Froggett hit fours from the final two balls of Stiff's last over, Hanging Heaton emerged narrow winners.

It meant they wrapped up a treble, having already won the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League title and the league's T20 Cup.