First-time finalists meet at Lord’s in Sunday’s Persimmon Village Cup Final
A new name will be added to the roll-call of honour for the Persimmon Village Cup, run by The Cricketer magazine, when Rottingdean from Sussex and Woodhouses from Lancashire meet in the final at Lord’s this Sunday (4 September).
Neither side has previously made it to the prestigious showpiece final, and no player from either team has played at Lord’s. Most have never even watched a game at the world’s most famous ground.
“The club has been going for over a hundred years but this is without doubt the biggest match in our long history,” says Woodhouses captain Mike Cassidy.
The club has made use of its links with the Atherton family – former England skipper Mike played for the club in the competition as a 15-year old and father Alan and brother Chris also played - to find out more about their opponents on Sunday. “I used to open the batting with Chris Atherton, who now lives in that part of the world, so we’ve been able to find out a little bit about Rottingdean,” says Cassidy.
“It hasn’t really sunk in that we’re in the final but come Sunday we’ll be ready and fully prepared. We’ve been successful batting first in the competition and putting runs on the board, so may well take that approach if I win the toss and conditions look favourable.”
Cassidy points to leading run-getter Josh Tolley and medium pacer Ashley Prescott as two key figures in a side that will arrive at Lord’s with an average age in the low 20s.
Woodhouses booked their final place by knocking out defending champion Sessay, bringing to an end the Yorkshire side’s 15-game winning run in the competition.
Rottingdean skipper and opener Henry Ledden steered his team into the final with 79 in defeating Dumbleton of Gloucestershire, to become the third Sussex finalist in the last five years.
“We no longer run a Sunday 1st XI so it was quite difficult to get a side out for our first games in the cup. But we’ve stuck together and kept pretty much the same team through to the final,” says Ledden, who with brother George played representative age-group cricket for Sussex.
Ledden picks out allrounder George, opener and death bowler Najmus Jamil, left arm spinner Mark Smith, the oldest man in a young side, and opening bowler Mark Grantham as top performers in the cup run. “Everyone has contributed at some point so it’s truly been a team effort from a close-knit community club where we all live within a five mile radius of Rottingdean.”
Thinking ahead to Sunday’s experience of playing at Lord’s Ledden adds: “It will obviously be a fantastic experience for all of us and the fans that are travelling to London from Sussex. Although we’ve never played there before, we have played on grounds with slopes and have a variety of swing and spin bowlers who I’m sure will enjoy the experience of the Lord’s slope.”
Ledden also commented on the excellent spirit in which the competition has been played. “Without exception, the opposition have played tight competitive cricket but in absolutely the right spirit of the game. They have wished us good luck and shared a beer at the end of the matches. It’s been a great experience which we’ve all thoroughly enjoyed.”
The Persimmon Village Cup is organised and administered by The Cricketer magazine, on behalf of sponsor Persimmon Homes. The final is hosted at Lord’s courtesy of the MCC.
More details about the Persimmon Village Cup can be viewed at www.thecricketer.com.
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