SCF Intermediate Cup 2023

Uphill Castle CC v Castle Cary CC

The Game

Uphill Castle grabbed the opportunity of playing in the Intermediate Cup Final on the CA County Ground with both hands when they played Castle Cary CC last month.  Striding to the middle, Churchward and Jones weren’t about to let the grandiosity of the event impact their confidence and from the first ball showed Castle Cary they meant business having failed to overhaul them to first place in the SCL Division One the previous day.

Churchward played watchfully as everyone settled in for the Jones show as he cleanly struck 79 from just 33 balls, including five fours and six sixes, putting pressure on the from the start.  Experienced Cary bowler King did his best to turn the tide, returning a respectable 4-31 as Uphill suffered a minor blip following the dismissal of Jones with Cox and Smith following in quick succession as King took three wickets in the 14th over.  At this point Uphill already had 150 on the board and a cameo 25 from 13 balls from Llewellyn put Cary on the backfoot as the innings closed on 216/5.

The Cary openers of Holland and Lake accepted the challenge putting on 41 before their partnership was undone.  There was strong middle order action from Henley, Atkinson and King, however the reality of chasing a big total is hard, and when Huke entered the attack the game was all but done as he took a hattrick, dismissing King, David and Hewlett.

The final wicket fell with 3 balls to spare, and despite a spirited effort from Cary, Uphill Castle recorded a crushing 89 run victory.

Player of the Match

Fin Churchward for his watchful innings and carrying his bat for 99*

Scorecard

Match Photos

Thanks

Days like this couldn’t happen without lots of support, so we’d like to thank

SCCC for allowing us to host the game at the CA County Gound

Scott Hawkins and his Grounds Team

Somerset Association of Cricket Officials

All the stewards and Baxter Storey staff

Ben Warren and the media team for the livestream coverage and scoreboard graphics

Harry Everett for his commentary

Matt Sainsbury for match day music and announcements

Neil Dopson Photography

Trophy Solutions Somerset