There was a third successive Yorkshire triumph at Lords when Woodhouse Grange from the Hunters York Senior League followed Houghton Main in 2006 and fellow York League members Sheriff Hutton Bridge in winning the Npower National Village Trophy by 6 wickets. The Sutton-on-Derwent side were making their third Lords final appearance, having won the trophy in 1995 and been beaten finalists in 1999 whereas their opponents Sussex based Findon were making their first appearance in the final. 

Findon opted to take first innings as the game started at 11 am but quickly lost a wicket when J Rogers was caught by Joel Hughes off the bowling of Steve Burdett for no score. The Yorkshire side then had a long wait for their next success as Graham Waller and Tony Kingsbury forged a second wicket stand which had mounted to 145 when Nick Hadfield had Waller caught by Jon Bean for 62. Kingsbury then went on to make an unbeaten 103 which was to earn him the man-of-the-match award which has been renamed in memory of the late Ben Brocklehurst who founded the competition. With P O’Sullivan 36no, providing sound support the Sussex side were able to post a challenging 220-2. 

Woodhouse made a promising start to their run chase and had reached 31 when Jon Bean was caught behind for 20. Nick Hadfield and Simon Dwyer then produced a good partnership which added 108 runs before Dwyer was caught for 58. Hadfield’s innings was ended 25 runs later when he was stumped for 73 but The Grange continued to make good progress towards the target with the Burdett Brothers at the crease. At 199 Steve Burdett fell for 21 but brother Mike stayed to the end, making 27, as he and Joel Hughes 14no clinched a fine win with 10 balls to spare. 

Findon C.C.

J Rogers                 c Hughes               b S Burdett                0

G Waller                 c Bean                    b Hadfield                62

T Kingsbury         not out                                                   103

P O’Sullivan          not out                                                   36

                                                                Extras                19

                                                                Total              220-2       (40 overs)

 

FOW      1-6           2-151

Bowling                 O             M            R             W

J Hughes                               8              1              30            0

S Burdett               9              2              33            1

T Quinn                 5              0              45            0

N Hadfield             9              0              54            1

P Grewer                9              1              50            0

 

Woodhouse Grange C.C

J E Bean                 c Shackman           b N Waller           20

N G Hadfield         st Shackman          b O’Sullivan          73

S R Dwyer             c Demetriou           b Rogers               58

M N Burdett          not out                                              27

S R Burdett                                            b Iogo             21

J Hughes                               not out                             14

                                                                Extras            8

                                                                Total         221-4       (38.4 overs)

 

FOW      1-31         2-139       3-164       4-199

 

Bowling                 O             M            R             W

Iago                        8.4           1              35            1

N Waller                                7              0              38            1

Kingsbury             4              0              26            0

O’Sullivan             9              0              45            1

Demetriou              2              0              22            0

Rogers                   5              0              35            1

Christie                  3              0              15            0 

Woodhouse Grange won by 6 wickets 

Man-of-the-Match               T Kingsbury