ECB 38 County Cup Final Report
Herefordshire, a Minor County for just nine years, lifted their first major trophy with a 42-run win over Cheshire in the final of the ECB 38-County Cup at Lord's
Mike Berry
31-Aug-2000
Herefordshire, a Minor County for just nine years, lifted their first major
trophy with a 42-run win over Cheshire in the final of the ECB 38-County Cup
at Lord's.
Cheshire, bidding for a record fourth one-day victory in Minor Counties
finals, were left chasing the tallest of tall orders after Herefordshire
posted a formidable 291 for six off their 50 overs.
A third wicket stand of 203 in 33 overs between Paul Lazenbury (118) and
Chris Boroughs (94) put Herefordshire in the driving seat, and they
free-wheeled to victory on the back of veteran seamer Kevin Cooper's five for
29 helping restrict Cheshire to 249 for nine.
Boroughs and Lazenbury, a 22-year-old left-hander previously with
Gloucestershire and now interesting Kent, bludgeoned 11 sixes between them
over an absurdly short Tavern boundary as Cheshire's limited bowling was put
to the sword. Lazenbury hit six sixes and eight fours off 130 balls, while
Boroughs batted for 96 deliveries, hitting five sixes and eight fours off an
attack lacking variety.
A target of 292 was always a tough ask for Cheshire, but despite some tight
bowling from Scotland's James Brinkley, they nibbled away to reach 92 for one
off 23 overs.
But then Cooper intervened to demolish the top of their batting line-up. The
42-year-old former Nottinghamshire and Gloucestershire seamer struck with the
first ball of each of his two spells, the second of which removed opener Paul
Bryson for a well-crafted 73.
Richard Hignett (38) and Chris Brown (39 not out) then struck some lusty
blows but they were all to be in vain.