BAT Sports came within an ace of winning the ECB Indoor cricket Championship after featuring in two absorbing duels at Lord's yesterday.

Having scrambled a dramatic one-run win over Worcester Park in the semi-final, they lost a gripping final by an identical margin to perpetual indoor champions Madison.

But the Southern Electric Premier League cricketers did themselves proud with an exhilarating display of fielding, climaxed by wicketkeeper Nigel Bungay winning the Best Fielder award.

Quite how BAT actually reached the final itself was amazing in itself.

Confident of defending their 134-5, BAT appeared to have the Worcester Park reply under control - right up until the last two overs.

The Surrey club seemed out of the hunt at 95-5, but a defiant half-century by Greg Mitchell cut the deficit to 13 off Dave Adams' final over - and two runs off the last three balls.

But just when he appeared to be on the brink of winning the tie for Worcester, Mitchell (51) picked out David Banks, who dived forward to snare a hard-driving catch an inch off the ground and leave the Surrey side marooned at 133 all out.

BAT, whose innings had been based around solid knocks by Ricky Rawlins (38 not out) and Richard Kenway (35), could hardly believe their luck.

Incredibly, the final - against a Northamptonshire-based Madisons side which had won the ECB indoor title three times in the past four years - produced a second dose of drama ... this time with BAT chasing a target.

Once again BAT had things under control with the ball - Madisons being restricted to 70-2 off their initial eight overs.

But, with opener Richard Dalton making an unbeaten 45, they made full use of the huge Lord's indoor arena to blaze 67 runs off the final four overs and post a challenging 137-3.

It was a big ask for BAT - but one they took on, with Banks (27 retired) and Kenway (21) providing an ideal launch pad.

Damian Shirazi, who had helped Southampton Institute lift the British Universities title on Saturday, cracked 26 and then the richly-promising Rawlins emerged to smack 26 off just eight balls.

Their efforts left BAT, at 123-1, requiring 14 runs off the final over to level the scores and win on least wickets lost.

They scored ten runs off the initial five fair balls, leaving four required off the very last ball.

To spice up the drama, Madisons sent down a wide, now leaving BAT needing three runs to win.

But Adams was unable to hit a swinging final ball but, despite scrambled a bye to the wicketkeeper, BAT finished agonisingly one run short at 136-2.

BAT, to their credit, took the heartbreak defeat well.

"We've done terrifically well to get to Lord's and, let's face it, were dead lucky to win the semi-final, so we've no complaints at all," smiled Kenway.

"We've done ourselves and our Premier League proud - and we've thoroughly enjoyed ourselves."