THERE was no chance that rain would stop play when Ingleby Greenhow took on Middleton Tyas in the first round of this year's Wadworth National Village Cricket Competition on Sunday.

Accuracy was all-important, timing and footwork less so, as the two teams battled for supremacy on the dartboard at the Dudley Arms.

The cosy confines of the bar provided possibly the most unusual setting for a match in the competition, which ends with a final at Lord's in September, but it certainly made for a good atmosphere and plenty of merry banter.

The darts match was arranged after foot-and-mouth restrictions in force at both village grounds made it impossible to settle the tie in the normal way.

It was agreed that the official match would be decided by a conventional game of darts in which all 11 players would play each other in a series of singles matches. Once the serious business was out of the way, a friendly game of cricket darts would take place.

One team bats, the other bowls, with the batting side scoring a run for every point over 60 and the bowling side taking a wicket for every bullseye scored.

It was home side Ingleby who triumphed, steaming into the next round with a 10-1 victory which owed much to better finishing as both sides displayed varying degrees of ability with the arrows.

Some were obviously more experienced at the oche than others - one Ingleby player got down to a finish but had to ask the scorer the location of double 13. Then, much to everyone's amusement, promptly buried his last dart into the target.

The mood was light-hearted throughout - more laughter ensued when, during a brief lull in proceedings, a voice from the adjoining bar was heard to exclaim: "Playing cricket - what, in there?"

For the record, Ingleby were also the victors in the cricket darts friendly. Team captain Arthur Fawcett said: "We scored the most runs in the history of the club - more than 630."

The aim of deciding the tie in a fair and entertaining way had certainly been achieved.

Mr Fawcett said: "We were trying to think of something a bit different, instead of just tossing a coin or bowling at the stumps."

Ingleby, who play in the Langbaurgh League, now look forward to their next match against Sessay or Forge Valley, while Middleton Tyas, from the Darlington and District League, will hope to gain revenge if plans to play a friendly cricket match - this time with bat and ball - come to fruition later in the season.