Last updated at 14:12, Tuesday, 03 July 2012

CUMBERLAND’S cricketers may have been denied the chance of a day to remember at Lord’s – but they won’t allow that to sour the sweet taste of their success.

Instead of playing their MCCA Trophy final at cricket’s headquarters – often the venue for the showpiece – the county will face either Staffordshire or Wiltshire at the picturesque ground at Wormsley, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire.

And it is a ground which has its own claim to fame – it was developed by the late billionaire Paul Getty. Cumberland reached the final after a thrilling four-wicket win over Dorset thanks to a match-winning knock of 71 by skipper Gary Pratt.

He hit the winning runs with just three balls to spare.

“It was one of the best innings he has played for Cumberland,” said a delighted team manager Ian Sharp.

“Chris Williams, with an unbeaten 22, did well in a pressure situation.

“It was a well-deserved win with both the batsmen and the bowlers playing well.”

Pratt batted for 116 minutes and faced 110 balls, hitting four fours. He shared an unbroken seventh wicket partnership of 42 with Williams.

Also among the runs was James Lowe with 41 while Barrow batsman-wicketkeeper Ryan Brown chipped in with a useful 20.

Earlier Williams, with three for 43 and Richard Gleeson (three for 38) had restricted the home county to 184 all out.

Pratt’s winning hit came halfway through the 50th over to take Cumberland into the final on August 29th. The Staffordshire-Wiltshire semi-final will be played at Leek later this month.

After their quarter-final trip to Cornwall and the semi-final in Dorset, the journey to Buckinghamshire will hold no fears for the well-travelled Cumbrians.

Meanwhile it is back to three-day duty this weekend. Following their first Minor Counties Championship win of the season – that day-and-a-bit win over Lincolnshire at Furness a week ago

Cumberland travel to March in Cambridgeshire for their nextfixture, starting on Sunday.

First published at 13:16, Tuesday, 03 July 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk