Today at Lord's Leeds/Bradford University put their recent failures behind them.
Having lost in both the semi-finals of the T20 competition and the 50 over competition for University sides, they clinched the big one with a resounding victory over Cardiff in the final of the two day competition. Still baffled that the final of this is only a one day game.
The action gets underway at Lord's
The star of the show, as so often this season, was Billy Root left-handed younger brother of England's top man Joe Root. He crowned his magnificent season, not only for the University side in their last match of 2015, but with more to come I am sure for Notts second XI and Sheffield Collegiate in the Yorkshire Premier League. One of his milestone's today in passing 1,000 runs in the short University season was greated with glee by his colleagues on the pavilion balcony.
Cardiff's first mistake was to win the toss and put Leeds/Bradford in to bat. Bullen and Thompson took their time, in fact the first two overs were maidens. Bullen, the wicket keeper as usual was the more aggresive, but it was the tall lanky Lancastrian who hit the first six of the day into the hospitality boxes on the top tier of the short Tavern side boundary. Many more were to follow that route as the innings progressed. The opening pair had just put on a century partnership in the 21st over when Thompson fell lbw to the off spinner Bull, who has played for Glamorgan second XI. He had scored a valuable 36.
Good opening partnership
Bullen was joined by Root who was soon into his stride and began to dominate the scoring while Bullen who was already in the sixties seemed to slow down a bit. Nevertheless he hit eight fours and two sixes before he was next man out for 86 with the total now 178-2 in the 36th over. Root was joined by the skipper Davis, who made a bright and breezy 17, including yet another six to the short side. By then the score had progressed to 207-3 in the 39th over,
What followed was total carnage as Root really got into his stride, hitting sixes almost at will, including two reverse sweeps, one of which just missed your correspondent sitting in the Mound Stand. Root and Weston put on 97 runs in only eight overs with Root going to his century with two successive sixes, the second to the furthest boundary where he was caught at long on, but the fielder went backwards over the boundary line. He continued on his merry way before eventually being caught behind for 135, which came off only 69 balls and included eleven fours and no less than nine sixes.
Hundred up for Root
The score had now progressed beyond 300 but there was no let up for the Cardiff bowlers as Logan Weston now set about them and raced to 67 not out off only 40 balls with eight fours and two sixes. The final partnership between Weston and Scott put on 62 in only 23 balls and the final total was a massive 366-4 in 50 overs. The pick of the bunch was Griffiths who had respectable figures of 10-0-44-0.
To be fair to Cardiff, although they were never in the game after that, they tried hard with one or two valuable thirties and forties and six sixes of their own, but the steady bowling of the Leeds/Bradford team, led by Harry Rouse with figures of 3-36 was too much for them. Rouse greeted his younger brother playing for Cardiff with a bouncer and was obviously pleased to have him caught out for only two. No brotherly love there. In the end Ellis-Grewell bowled the last man and Cardiff were all out for 249 in the 41st over. A good effort but not good enough for this brilliant all round side that deserved this reward for an excellent season which has given full value to the handful of hardcore supporters at Weetwood.
Billy Root patrols the shortside boundary......
......and becomes the target of the schoolchildren authograph hunters
Meanwhile on the Nursery Ground next door the womens universities final was taking place, with hot favourites Loughborough taking on Exeter, somewhat of a surprise package as finalists. However, despite losing two early wickets Exeter put together a useful score of 186-7 in 50 overs with Cranstone top scoring on exactly 50.
Women's final in progress on the Nursery Ground
Loughborough had no problem in knocking off the runs with one or two England players in their ranks and it was one of these Anna Shrubsole who did it in style with a straight drive for six to win the match in the 29th over. Sciver top scored again with exactly 50 runs to her name.
Loughborough women's team - University champions 2015
So a marvellous day's cricket all round, played in warm sunshine during the afternoon after a cloudy start and one which made me think I had made the right decision for once, with so much cricket going on at Headingley, Derby, Todmorden, Netherfield, Belper, Sleaford and others no doubt, some with centuries galore, but I am sure none could match that produced by that man again - Billy Root.
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