Cardiff steal the show at Lord's

Posted by Tony Hutton

Monday 27th June - M.C.C. Universities Challenge Final at Lord's
Durham M.C.C.U. v Cardiff M.C.C.U.

As previously pointed out the top six cricketing universities play each other in a two day competition which encourages sides to bat for 100 overs and play something more akin to proper cricket, than the usual limited overs thrash.

All well and good until we get to the final which reverts to the 50 over one day format. Durham must have been favourites for their ability to score around 400 runs in almost every one of their two day games. However always a great pleasure to be at Lord's and for me the small crowd which enables a leisurely walk around the ground and it's various attractions is a big advantage. To add to the occasion the women's university final was being played on the Nursery ground between Loughborough and
Leeds Met Universities.

In the main match Cardiff, who have improved considerably in recent seasons under coach Kevin Lyons, formerly of Glamorgan, batted first. Their openers put on 47 without any problem before Jones was out for 20 and Siddique followed immediately for a duck. Their main man, Ryan Bishop, who hails from South Africa, continued to dominate proceedings and when he was joined by Irishman Balbirnie they put on a fine partnership of 104.

Bishop was eventually stumped for 88 and Balbirnie caught behind for 73 both off spinner Watkins, who proved to be Durham's best bowler with 3-44 in his ten overs, although opening bowler Deuchar was the most economical with 0-22 in his spell. Some late hitting from Tom Friend, who comes from the Isle of Wight, took the Cambridge score to 255-7 in their fifty overs.

Due to the very slow over rate in the women's match it was possible to watch the end of the Loughborough innings during the men's lunch interval. In front of a respectable crowd, which I was told was the biggest ever seen for cricket on the Nursery ground, Loughborough just failed to reach 300, with the scourge of Leeds Met once again the immaculate Tamsin Beaumont with yet another century to add to her collection.

Back to the men's match and Durham's prolific top three batsmen looked well capable of knocking off the runs. Chris Jones of Somerset, Luc Durandt from South Africa and Greg Smith from Leicestershire have all scored consistently all season, but sadly today was not to be their day. Cardiff's ploy of opening the bowling with one seamer, Reed, and one spinner, Ransley, paid off.

Reed had Durandt caught for only 13, Jones was caught behined of Ransley for 32 and Smith made only 18 before falling lbw to Friend. Worse was to follow as Durham slumped from 92-3 to 105-6. The game looked as good as over but as so often the case the tailenders came to the rescue with two wicketkeepers, Smith who kept today and Jamie Atkinson at one time wicketkeeper for Hong Kong, put on a partnership of 66 before Smith was bowled by Balbirnie for 22.

Then a stand of 42 between Atkinson and Watkins took Durham to within reach of victory, Atkinson playing the leading role and the equation had gone down to a run a ball off the final six overs before Atkinson was ninth man out for a splendid 62. Two runs later it was all over - Durham's powerful batting side bowled out for 228 and Cardiff the winners by 27 runs.

If there was a man of the match award, it would surely have gone to Tom Friend, who not only scored a vital 42, but also took 4-48. So Cardiff are top of the University cricket tree, some consolation for losing the one day BUCS final to Cambridge at Wormsley last week.

On the way out, Leeds Met women were still batting against Loughborough, but no chance of reaching their target of 298 to win. We later learned that they were all out for a respectable 207.