The Minor Counties Championship Final took place at Edenside, Carlisle, between Cumberland (Eastern Division Champions) and Oxfordshire (Western Division Champions). The game was scheduled for four days commencing yesterday, Sunday 6th September. While I was at York that day the game progressed rapidly at Carlise with Oxfordshire all out for 85 and Cumberland for double that score with 170 all out. Oxford started their second innings and were 0-1 after six overs.
Crowd on the bank with Gilbert Johnston operating back up scoreboard.
Today (Monday) was the only day of the four I could attend and just as well as the game was over by mid-afternoon with Cumberland worthy winners by ten wickets.
After our earlier visit some five weeks ago it was apparent that the wicket was not going to produce a high scoring match. The game had originally been scheduled at Netherfield CC in Kendal, but that proved to be not available.
The worry was that if Oxford collapsed again the game could be over by lunchtime, but fortunately heavy dew delayed the start until 12.15 thus taking the game into the afternoon session. Toby Bulcock, the slow left armer, opened the bowling as befits Cumberland's record wicket taker this season with 42 before this game and 4-18 in the first innings yesterday. However it was the opening bowler at the other end, Richard Gleeson, who put the cat amongst the pigeons by taking three wickets to reduce Oxford to 9-4.
Gleeson bowling towards the ski slope end
First Darby was bowled for 2, then Sabin for 1 and 15 year old Ward for 2. Gleeson who recently played for Northants against the Australians was unplayable. Bulcock then got in on the act by having Kaufman lbw for 8 and Oxford were then 13-5 and the game over to all intents and purposes. Some late resistance from former county men Chad Keegan (Middlesex) with 29 and Will Beer (Sussex) with 18 took the final score to just four more than the first innings - but 89 all out was a very poor effort.
Bulcock had 3-27 from 21 overs and Gleeson, who won the man of the match award, 3-14 from 13 overs. Off spinner Hodgson had two wickets and Neil Longhurst finished things off with the last two. So only five runs to win for Cumberland and a single from the first ball by Hale and four from the second by Tolley saw them home and dry.
Cumberland's openers knock off five to win
The celebrations began and trophies presented to both winners and losers. Rear Admiral Moylan Jones, President of the Minor Counties, made an excellent speech thanking all concerned. I remember him a long time ago as a mere 2nd Lieutenant playing for the Royal Navy and Combined Services.
The Rear Admiral does his stuff
Cumberland's winning team
Cumberland will be very happy to have won five of their six league matches, with just one draw in a game affected by rain at Sedbergh School. Oxford had also won five out of six. but looked a poor side as they did in the Minor Counties T20 final against Cheshire. A very good crowd, some of whom had travelled from far and wide, enjoyed the splendid sunny weather. The people I met included visitors from Blackpool, Bolton, Hartlepool, Leeds and Newcastle. All enjoyed the shortened day but of course many regretted it did not run the full course of four days. So the end of the season for the Minor Counties but we all look forward to more of this enjoyable form of the game played on such attractive grounds next season.
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