Apologies for the lateness of the report of the Lancashire cup final, and bundling in the next round along with it. It’s been a busy week of cricket, and its been a quick turnaround between the games.

After a successful trip to Newton-Le-Willows, our U15s had qualified for the Lancashire Cup Final. It would be our sixth game in the competition, after blasting our way through the GMCL qualifiers, and then victory against Blackrod at Didsbury took us into the semi-final of theLancashire cup. Newton had been knocked aside after Aarron took the early wicket of their superstar batter, and Milan did the rest with a brilliant performance upon his return to bowling, finishing with 4-1-12-5. 63 all out. Our opponents for the final were to be Lancaster, who in comparison had only played one other game in the competition to get here, a strange imbalance. We hadn’t faced them before, but we did have success at their ground last year with the U13s winning Finals Day there. For the right to host, it was an important toss to win. You couldn't get much further away than Didsbury and Lancaster, stretching right across the county. I had the privilege/misfortune of being the one who had to call in the toss. I, of course, lost. It was up to Lancaster then, early on Sunday morning. We travelled up once, got to Preston, it rained, and we drove back. We rearranged, and tried again. This time, glorious sunshine. Lancaster had set up to host well, bar open for refreshments, music for any intermissions, and the ground already ready to go upon arrival. With a big outfield set up, and a shared uncertainty about the pitch (especially with Lancaster’s senior side having a low scoring affair the day before), it was a toss we were happy to lose, sure that Lancaster would bat first if they won. Which they did. Sun beating down, already a scorcher at 10am, music blasting out (A questionable playlist…), and with ball in hand, skipper Aarron kicked off our Lancashire Cup Final…

A typical start for Aarron, good pace and excellent control saw only one run off the first over. The Lancaster pair looked solid however, and played out the over well. An atypical start for Ashden however, who struggled in the second. A mixture of full tosses and wides, and the dreaded five wides down the legside, got the nerves going early. An unusual occurrence for Ash, who has been metronomic this year and provided us with such fantastic control up top with the ball. A short break from cricket taking its effect, perhaps? Aarron, undeterred at the other end, picked up a wicket with the first ball of his second over. A sharp yorker castling the Lancaster opener. An important wicket to dismiss one of their key batters. Partner in crime, Nikash, replaced Ash, but Nikash didn’t quite get the memo, and the extras continued. A 12 ball over isn’t quite what we had planned, but understandable considering his break from bowling. Thankfully, Aarron was once again unfazed by his comrades' plight and removed the other Lancaster opener in the next over. Both key wickets gone, a great example of leading from the front from our captain who is bowling superbly this season across all teams and formats. He stuck with Nikash, who reduced his output to just an 8 ball over this time, but it was great to see him bowling again after his injury issues, particularly with the good pace he was sending down. An exciting addition to have come back for these later rounds. However, even Aarron caught the bug, bowling a couple of wides in his third over. Perhaps it was all a cunning, ‘thinking outside the box’ plan by our bowlers, to lure the Lancaster batters into a false sense of security… Some control was required, and who better to turn to than Milan and Isaac. A brilliant display of smart and miserly bowling by the pair piled on the pressure. Milan sadly went unrewarded for his efforts, whilst Isaac was fairly rewarded with three wickets. In typical style, two were bowled as he peppered the stumps continually, as he has done so in brilliant fashion all year in both junior and senior cricket. The third a smart caught behind down the legside by Ibby. A suicidal run-out, a wicket for Krishav (a good catch by Kush), and a wicket for the returning Ash who bowled far more like himself this time round with usual accuracy and skill, saw Lancaster’s innings grind to a halt on 99/8 from their 20. Lancaster’s new signing, E. X. Tras, top scoring with 30. We needed to make sure we didn’t pay the price for handing them so many runs.

Kush and Tanmay have been outstanding as our opening pair, and the final was no exception. It was a calm, steady, but quick start for the both of them as the runs came easily. Lancaster bowled well, only giving us 11 extras and most were byes and leg byes, but it was ruthless batting once again. With big boundaries, long grass, and a hot day, it was fantastic to watch the pair reign in their usual flourishing boundary-seeking style, and instead run hard and pile on the 2s and even a couple of 3s! It wouldn’t stop Kush crashing a six as he would retire 50* off just 39. Another fantastic contribution as he continues his brilliant run of form. Tanmay seeing us across the line with 39* off 44 as we carried out a clinical 10 wicket win. Once again, Lancashire Cup champions for the third consecutive year for the U15s, and our seventh cup win across both the 13s and 15s age groups in four years. We can’t take this success for granted, as its a brilliant combination of talented players that strive to get better, extremely hard working volunteers, and our coaching structure means we are evidently getting things right, and should be proud of these achievements as a club. Very well done to the lads who continue to impress. Success in the final meant it was time to represent the county on the national stage. It would be Cheshire up first; specifically Oxton, who won their county competition last year as well. We got the better of them last year at Didsbury, but this time we would have to travel across to the Wirral.

Sun! It was a welcome sight, as my trips in the past to Oxton have been in rain, wind, and the occasional thunderstorm. It’s a good set-up, with vast boundaries on the main square, overlooked by a brilliant club-house. Sadly, we were over on the back square, and perhaps understandably so as Oxton’s main outfield was swarmed by kids and parents for their All-Stars provision (Hard to compete with the income the bar would receive from that, especially on a sunny Friday evening!). However, knowing Oxton’s potent spin attack, the prospect of playing them on the big outfield of the main square was a troubling prospect, our batters desire to hit boundaries meant I was nervous we’d spoon a few to the boundary riders. A much smaller ground suited us, and with us all arriving after a decent journey on a Friday night, Aarron was back to his usual lucky self; crucially won the toss, and we’d have a bat.

Spin! Of the left arm orthodox variety. It was no surprise Oxton were opening with spin. It would be interesting to see how our openers would tackle the challenge. Kush tackled it well in the first over, a flourishing cut past point for four and a good drop and run. Pace from the other end, and an early gift. A ball that was far too short to be of any threat was promptly dispatched for six by Kush. A second gift, a similar ball, similarly dispatched for six, immediately followed by a four. Kush off to a flier. Tanmay was happy to play second fiddle and get his partner on strike with some good running between the wickets. Kush continuing his barrage, with two fours and four sixes, the best of lot a straight six back over the bowler's head, he powered towards his retirement. A good catch would be his undoing, but once again, Kush had provided us with such a brilliant start. His 44* off 30 balls had powered us to 64-1 in the 9th over. Disaster would strike the very next ball, James adjudged LBW for 0. A little bit of calmness was required, and Tanmay obliged, ticking the scoreboard upwards. At 104-3, with Tanmay dismissed, another good catch, for 39 off 38, we had the potential of losing momentum. With short cameos from Nikash and Krishav, we lost a couple more wickets and it had clearly become increasingly tougher to score. We needed a last little flourish in the last few overs, just to get us out of the nervous zone around 120. With 9, 10, and 6 taken off the last three, Abu (22 off 16) leading the charge, with the highlight of a masterful reverse sweep, and excellent support from Ibby (and a great single from Zac!) took us beyond 140, to 144/6 from our 20. A great total, but with the smaller boundaries than normal surrounding us, it felt a dozen or so short where we’d be very comfortable.

Space! Where we had to be smart was controlling the small space around us, it was seven an over from the off, but boundaries would be easy to find if we provided the option. The chat we had had before the start of the game was that they couldn't afford to lose five wickets. Remove their key players and they’d struggle to compete. After we had lost five, we still had two county batters at the crease, with plenty of firepower to come. They were opening with two of their three county batters, and this felt like the key part of the game. Aarron would start well. A watchful over from Oxton, only two runs off the bat. Ash from the other end found the outside edge, just past he outstretched glove of Ibby, and it felt a nervous approach from the Oxton pairs. Careful singles taken off the first couple of balls off Aarron’s second over. A bumper. Well directed. Hooked. In the air. Where’s it gone? No, seriously, where did it go? I was in the bar on the far side, I bumped (pushed) a man out of the way to follow it through the window. The ball disappeared behind the sightscreen between us and the pitch. A pause. Then the celebrations from our players, sprinting towards the catcher. It was Milan, I’d learn shortly from our spectators, who took a good catch over his head. First blood to Didsbury. Four more to get. Their other opener continued well. He found regular boundaries, but we smartly kept him trapped at the non-strikers end, and when they just went north of 53-1, up the ball went. A triumph in execution from Milan, pulling off a masterful full toss, forced the mistake. Ashden settled under it. Pouched. Two down. Their obstinate number three, was joined by their third county batter. But at 53-2 form 10 overs, they were behind the rate and *had* to accelerate… and with that would come chances. A flash of the blade towards point, and the waiting hands of Krishav. Zac had got one to flare up out of the surface. Caught easily. Three down. Two more for our target. It was just becoming out of reach for Oxton, who needed close to 10 an over. But their number four was going down swinging, despite us taking our fourth wicket, he took 13 and 14 off consecutive overs, and so it wasn't over yet. That fourth wicket, I should add, was a catch by Kush, with the ball flashed hard towards him at extra cover, he stuck out a solitary left paw, and snatched it out of the air. Unbelievable catch, then resulted in a squawk of shock from yours truly. With their number four going well, Aarron had the difficult task of choosing his bowlers. He (4-0-11-1) and Zac (4-0-19-1) had been the pick of our bowlers, but were both bowled out. To our off-spinner in Krishav he turned, and what a choice. Now, it wasn’t the *best* ball he’s ever bowled, but it had the desired result. Spooned up, caught and bowled. The coup de grâce; and as if by magic, the expected crumble happened. A run-out the very next ball by Milan, and it was followed by his very own wicket in the next over, a good stumping by Ibby. A second suicidal run-out as both pressure and run-rate rose, and two in three balls for the returning and excellent Ash, bowled and caught behind, saw Oxton collapse from 106-4 to 114 all out. A clinical bowling and fielding performance. Only 9 extras given away, 10 wickets taken, and a fantastic assortment of fielding wickets. It was a game of the highest quality, the standard of fielding in particular from both sides was outstanding. Two good batting performances on a pitch that wasn’t the easiest, and make the innings’ of Kush, Tanmay and their opener all the more special. I’m immensely proud of the lads, it was a proper performance, and comes with a proper reward.

North Finals Day, 29th July. 10:30am vs Derbyshire’s representative, Swarkestone CC. Neston host us again, and for us as a club it’ll be our fourth trip in three years across the two age groups. It's been a memorable experience every time (Sometimes for the wrong reasons, looking at you Wykeham!). Another great achievement for our club, and reflects the hard work of the players, their families, and our army of volunteers. It should be a very enjoyable day for all involved. Personally, I’m excited for my fish and chips.