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Npower Village Cup 2008

2008 fixtures now available

2008 npower Village Cup final!

Woodhouse Grange v Valley End

Valley End defeated defending champions Woodhouse Grange by 24 runs at Lord's on Monday 8th September.

For a full match report, click here.

For the Scrumpy Jack player of the round winners click here.

Brotherhood of fame (From the September issue of The Wisden Cricketer)

Two quarter-final teams, two brothers of former England captains, two different results.

Woodhouses, from Lancashire, may be familiar to some as it is the club where Mike Atherton started his career. His brother, Chris, still plays for them and is looking forward to a semi-final against last year’s winners Woodhouse Grange after they won their tied match against Shipley Hall. Nasser Hussain’s brother, Mel, had less luck. He captained his team High Roding to defeat against Valley End.

In front of 600 people Woodhouses chased Shipley Hall’s 181 for 6, tying the score and also finishing with six wickets down. However, they had read the rule books and knew they had scored more runs at the 20-over stage. With scores level and two balls left, James Clarke blocked both balls. Chris Atherton, however, was not there. He was sunning himself in Spain. “We were on the phone to him just after we’d won,” says the Woodhouses captain, Gareth Tuson. “He was by the pool and jumped in fully-clothed. He was gutted he’d missed it and, of course, we can’t change a winning team now. He’s one of our best players, an allrounder. He used to open but bats around five now. He’s not as boring a batsman as Mike.”

Mel Hussain probably wishes he had spent the weekend in Spain. He fell for 9 but Jack Butterman (46) and Mark Gallop (41) took High Roding, of Essex, to 227 for 7. Valley End, of Surrey, lost a flurry of wickets after Paul Williams (45) and Luc Durandt (79) laid a foundation for the second wicket. But Scott Jarvis’s 39 took Valley End to a four-wicket win and through.

In the other two quarter-finals Welsh side Carew beat Marshfield to set up a semi-final with Valley End. Woodhouses will play last year’s winners Woodhouse Grange, after they beat Castle Eden following another tie.

Dates for 2008

Round 1: 20th April
Round 2: 4th May
Round 3: 18th May
Round 4: 1st June
Group Finals: 15th June
National (Round 6): 29th June
National (Round 7): 13th July
National Quarter Final: 27th July
National Semi-Final: 10th August
Final: TBC