GAVIN Warnock and Gavin Turner guided Harvest Moon through to next month's Stamford Homes Sevens Cricket finals with two balls to spare amid a tense round of qualification games.

Turner (23 not out) and Warnock (20 not out) guided the Moonmen home, chasing PO Milan's total of 74 at the Stamford Homes ground after Phil Hutchinson hit three sixes before being caught off Kris Adams' delivery.

The opening fixture of the tournament, which dates back to 1992, was equally tense, with Turner (26 no) again on hand to guide the Moonmen to victory over Meech's Mauraders – hitting the winning knock with a single ball to spare.

Young Cleethorpes stars Jo Farmery and Ken Meech opened the action for the Marauders, but Warnock caught and bowled the former for seven, while Mark Hutchinson took a good catch off the same bowler to dismiss Meech.

Jack Harrison struck back for the Sevens newcomers with a fine 39-run knock, before Paul Morgan's delivery struck his middle stump and a Roger Bentley wicket slowed the Maruaders' charge; they finished on 65 for four.

Hutchinson, who boasts the tournament's highest score of 81 in 2004, partnered Bentley to open the Moonmen's innings.

But Meech's fine running catch on the boundary off Joe Farmery's delivery took care of Bentley for 11 runs. Gavin Warnock was then run out before Hutchinson was stumped for 23 by a superb direct throw from the boundary by Harrison.

However, Turner and Dan Baker (five not out) pulled the Moonmen through, hitting the winning runs with a ball to spare.

Meech's men, the favourites for the night, recovered from this loss to defeat PO Milan by 28 runs in the next qualification match.

A devastating opening over from PO Milan spinner Ian Bontoft dismissed both Harrison and Farmery, but Meech then took command with a superb 63 not-out stand, which included five boundaries and seven sixes.

Martin Willerton was nine not out when Meech's men finished with a total of 84 for two.

Dan Healy hit back for PO Milan with 29 not out but, after Harry Boulton and Glynn Benbow each only managed double figures, the seeded team finished 28 runs short of the required total.

The result set up an exciting finale for the spectators, as any of the three teams were still in a position to qualify for the finals. A Milan victory against Harvest Moon would have forced a runs-per-ball-scored calculation to decide who would advance.

A strong 74 for four total in sunny conditions looked to have put PO Milan on course for victory. Adams scored 35 before being stumped on the final delivery of the innings, after Hutchinson had run out Harry Boulton for six, Glynn Benbow was trapped lbw for 11 and Dan Healey was run out by Baker's throw.

When Harvest Moon batted, Bentley was first to perish – caught and bowled by Healey. Then Hutchinson fell for 18, after three maximums, to Farrow's catch off an Adams delivery.

Once again it was left to Turner (23 not out), accompanied this time by Warnock (20 not out), to see the Moonmen home with two balls to spare.

Two qualification rounds from the Friday leagues are left to settle the final lineup for the grand finals on August 3rd.

In the next round of games, AA Roofing, Punjab Lions and GL Commercials will battle it out, before South Kelsey, Clee United OB and Cuxwold take to the field on the final week.