A capacity crowd greeted the Stansted Hall and Elsenham players for the biggest game the club had played in for many years down at Stortford Cricket club. Rory won back-to-back tosses, yes miracles do happen, and preceded to choose to bowl first on a very green pitch (despite the fact it hasn't rained in about forever.)
Charlie and Rory started well, bowling with good swing and pace, well Rory with good pace despite our best efforts to get Tina to stop bowling military mediums. It was as if Josh Gleeson and Josh Beaumont had turned out for Newport in this star-studded clash as they racked up a miserly 35 from the first 8 overs of the innings. Then, on came raja. More military meds, but this time with class. Leg cutters, off cutters, the ball was doing all sorts as Raja took 4-22 off his 5 overs, Ollie and Henry taking stunning catches to back up the good bowling. At the other end Jacob came onto bowl with a swinging pink ball, and yes you guessed it, it was like watching the start of the 2006/7 ashes all over again, first up a full length delivery, sadly bowled onto a different strip meant Henry had to get the Jordan Pickford diving save out to prevent the first ball of the spell going for 5 wides (Despite this distant encouragement was heard from Paul Elby in the stands, echoes of 'Great length, that's a great length' were heard from the Hall's number 1 fan and world's nicest man), before Jacob finally got control of his line, sadly then the length went pear shaped as a beamer was despatched away for 4, Jacob's economy rate once again taking a pounding, he finished wicketless for 36, the worst figures of the final.
Rory came back on at the end to finish the innings with a flourish, taking four wickets in five balls as Newport were bowled out for 105 in the last over, Rory with figures of 6-19, a superb bowling display, as Stansted Hall needed 106 off 20 overs at 5.3 an over to lift the trophy.
Sadly, despite it being our lowest run chase of the season, Rory seemed to forget all of this as he engaged in an innings of what can only be described as big swings and even bigger misses, finally he connected with one to put the opening spin bowler back over his head but was out next ball under-edged through to the keeper for 9 undeserving runs, leaving the Hall 32-2 with Henry and Mohsin at the crease. Henry (22) creamed a couple of drives, as well as a slog sweep with the mid-wicket fielder suffering vertical issues as the ball bounced clean over his head before Henry went back to a ball that kept low in what can only be described as a shocking piece of judgement. Jacob came out to steady the ship with Mohsin, before being trapped plumb in front, only to claim he hit the ball (spoiler alert - he didn't). Raja made a bang average 5 before being caught at mid-off in the usual way despite pleas from the captain and vice captan to not try and hit the ball in the air. Charlie came an went for a scratchy 7, leaving the Hall 91-6, needing 15 off 4 overs. Step up the big man, cometh the hour, cometh the Kieran, who looked calmer than a Hindu cow, perfectly judging his leaves as the bowler preceded to litter the boundary with filthy wides to leave the Hall needing 1 from 3 overs.
The ever uncontroversial in dismissal Mohsin (28*), made sure there was no controversy this time as he stepped up, having been the glue of the innings, and after a couple of textbook forward defences (<- Rory please learn from these) he flicked one behind square on the leg side to give the Hall their first Boardman Davies cup victory since 1995.
Cue wild scenes as the capacity crowd went mad, and alas, Rory (A deserved man of the match) lifted the trophy to rapturous applaud. The Hall's first big trophy of the season, with the team now able to focus on chasing Takeley down for the top spot in the league.