Saturday September 19th The Cricketer Village Cup final 2020, Lord’s COLWALL CC v REDBOURN CC OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME NEW Welcome ongratulations are truly in order at the arrival of the 2020 Cricketer Village Cup final. Not just Cfor the teams involved – Redbourn and Colwall – who have negotiated seven rounds (in Redbourn’s case) and many nervous moments en route to Lord’s. But also for the Herculean effort of getting the tournament going and to its climax in a season ravaged by the pandemic. It has been a tremendous feat of organisation by all at The Cricketer and MCC too. The experience of Redbourn – debutants in the competition – is what the Village Cup is all about. Cricket dates back to 1666 on the village common and the club was formed in the 1820s, aided by that famous scallywag – Lord Frederick Beauclerk. Beauclerk was a crafty cricketer and one of the founding members of MCC, who played for the club while also captaining ‘All England’ and being the vicar of nearby St Albans. Although, according to the current vicar of Redbourn, Will Gibbs, who also plays for the club, “Beauclerk spent most of his time playing cricket, dining and gambling and not much administering communion to parishioners.” The club has flourished and become an absolute centre of the community, hosting almost 300 juniors on summer nights, and numerous social events. They weren’t able to participate in the Village Cup until a rule change allowing slightly larger populations a few years back. They had to overcome three-time champions Reed in the first round and 1996 runners-up Langleybury in the regional final. Brothers Edward and William Hales double-handedly overcame Somerset’s North Perrott in the semis. Colwall meanwhile, whose ground has a stunning Malvern Hills backdrop, have had to grapple with long journeys and rain-ruined matches in their passage to Lord’s. The Reverend Gibbs spoke for all competitors when he said that reaching the final would be “a wonderful testimony to all the volunteers who have given up their time to coach the juniors (75% of Redbourn’s team are homegrown players) and run social events and do all the vital chores for so many years.” It is a shame that none of them can attend the game this year, so it will be the duty of all 22 players to cherish every moment of being at the Home of Cricket on their behalf. Redbourn’s appearance in the final is also a fitting farewell to loyal club member Gerald Corbett whose chairmanship of MCC comes to an end this year. Good luck to you all. I will be watching! Simon Hughes Editor, The Cricketer #nvc20 3 WHAT WE DO TABLE CRICKET Aimed at disabled 8-18 year olds, table cricket is a pan-disability form of cricket played around a table tennis table, with competitions culminating in a finals day at Lord’s. SUPER 1s Super 1s offers disabled young people aged 12-25 an inclusive opportunity to play cricket and enjoy the benefits of sport. WICKETZ Designed to tackle disadvantage, Wicketz is a community cricket programme for young people aged 8-18 facing severe deprivation across the UK, using cricket as a vehicle for social change. SPORTS KIT RECYCLING We receive donated kit from all over the UK, then sort, pack and redistribute kit to projects all over the world. GRANTS We provide accessible minibuses, sensory rooms and play spaces so that young people living with significant disabilities can play, learn and develop in safe environments. www.lordstaverners.org Itinerary for the day THE DAY’S PLAY 10.30am Coin toss 11.00am Play starts (40 overs per side) circa 2.00pm Innings interval (40 minutes) 6.00pm Close of play and post-match presentation Watch the victors raise the trophy in front of the Lord’s pavilion Watch the livestream from www.nationalvillagecup.com Follow the day on social media via @TheCricketerNVC on Twitter and @VillageCup on Instagram, using the hashtag #NVC20 #nvc20 5 Preview Village Cup final 2020: Match preview eaching The Cricketer Village Cup concerned, choosing instead to focus on final at Lord’s is a dream come true; his team’s strengths. “Colwall are a bit of R winning it is the stuff of legend. an unknown to us,” he admits. “We haven’t On Saturday, September 19, 11 amateur really seen a lot of their results. They seem cricketers from either Redbourn or Colwall to have flown a bit under the radar. We just will be triumphant on the hallowed turf, back ourselves against anyone, and we pride sowing their name into the fabric of the club. ourselves on: if we can play our best cricket, Both teams have already proven they are then I don’t see why we can’t beat anyone.” good enough to win. Redbourn have knocked Even if they lose, it will still be a special out former champions Reed and Glynde day for Hales. Not only will he be leading & Beddingham en route to the final and the side out at Lord’s, but he will be opening have taken 67 out of a possible 70 wickets. the batting with his older brother William. Although they did not enter the tournament “It’s pretty special to walk out and open the until the national rounds, Colwall have batting with your brother at Lord’s,” says an equally impressive record. They have Hales. “It’s a rare thing, isn’t it?” defeated two-time runners-up Astwood Although Redbourn have reached Lord’s Bank and no team has managed to score at the first time of asking, it has been a long 200 against them. time coming for Colwall. They have been If Redbourn do win, it will be at the first competing in the competition for decades attempt. The Hertfordshire side are making and former player Kim Berry is relieved their competition debut this summer and to see them finally make it. “We’ve been a captain Edward Hales is delighted with massive supporter of the Village Cup,” says their progress. “I’m not sure at the start of Berry, who is now the chairman. “I played the season we all thought we were going in a semi-final in 1982 against Collingham to be playing at Lord’s,” admits Hales. “We away and we lost by four runs. Those thought we’d be able to get far and once we demons were still with me until Sunday [the got through the regional rounds, we targeted semi-final]! Then we lost to Harome at home that quarter-final – as our only home game in a semi-final in 1992. We are quite regular of the run – as the one. And then anything winners of our group and often got to the past there we decided would be a bonus.” last 16.” Despite playing all but one of their Although Berry is delighted to forget matches away from home, Redbourn have the shortcomings of yesteryear, he is more not complained. “I don’t think it’s made too excited about the future and what this much of a difference,” continues Hales. “We summer’s cup run could do for his beloved had an amazing trip down to North Perrott club. “It is an absolute dream come true,” on September 6; got a hotel for ourselves on he says. “For many club members, it’s Saturday night. And we were hosted very something we’ve always focused on as a well by North Perrott. We’ve been to some club. It brings in momentum; it brings in lovely places. I think that’s one of the best a great spirit around the place. As you can things about the competition – you have to imagine, phones and emails and records go around to different places where you’d haven’t stopped [coming through]. I think never normally play and sample village for the future it’s a massive win in terms cricket elsewhere.” of people looking to play cricket at Colwall. In Colwall, Redbourn face a formidable We’ve got a massive junior section of 180 opponent. But Hales is not awfully children on a Friday night in non-Covid 6 #nvc20 times. It’s got to be great news really and it’s just a wonderful thing.” Yet it will be a bittersweet day as due to the government’s restrictions on sporting crowds, the people of Colwall and Redbourn will have to watch the match via a stream, broadcasted live on www.nationalvillagecup.com. “Not having spectators is obviously tough,” says Berry. “It’s disappointing, but ultimately the team are going to Lord’s and that’s beyond our wildest dreams. It profiles the club, and I’m sure other clubs who have been there and won it will say it’s just a magnificent journey. We didn’t think we’d be in the Village Cup this year because of Covid, so it’s a real bonus.” And Berry is confident the team will bring the trophy back to Herefordshire. “If we perform anything like we did against Carlton Towers and Astwood Bank – who are very strong, good sides – then we will give ourselves a fair chance,” he says. “We’ll give it our best shot – I can assure you of that.” Colwall CC Whatever happens during the final, we know Redbourn CC a new name will be engraved on the famous, old trophy. Will it be Redbourn, the ambitious Lord’s newbies that have taken the competition by storm? Or will be Colwall, the seasoned challengers who have been dreaming of this day for years? All will be revealed on September 19.