Cumbria will meet Berkshire in the final of the NCCA Trophy on Thursday, September 2.
While the Cumbrians were getting through against Cambridgeshire on a bowl-out, after a blank day through rain, Berkshire were beating Wales by 62 runs in the other semi-final.
Berkshire made 182-9 and then bowled-out the Welsh side for 120 to reach another final having won the competition five times since 2004 – the last in 2019 when they actually beat Cumberland by one run.
The final is being staged at the Wormsley club in Buckinghamshire – the Sir Paul Getty ground which is described as one of the most picturesque in England and with no expense spared for the pleasure of players and spectators.
It might not have the history of Lord’s but it has hosted top names from both cricket and showbusiness.
The ground was officially opened on Sunday May 24 1992 by Bob Wyatt (England Captain – 40 caps) who rang the Wormsley Bell alongside Fred Trueman (67 England caps) who raised the Wormsley Flag.
The Sir Paul Getty XI played host to the MCC, watched by Her Majesty The Queen Mother, the then Prime Minister, Sir John Major, Denis Compton, Michael Caine and Brian Johnson.
Over the final decade of his life, Getty invited teams to play at what is now known as Sir Paul Getty’s Ground with the teams ranging from world-class sides to youth sides.
Those who have played there include cricketers Andrew Flintoff, Imran Khan, Mike Gatting, Mike Atherton, Mark Ramprakash, Derek Randall and Mike Brearley along with entertainment figures such as Peter O’Toole, Tim Rice and Rory Bremner.
Touring international sides have played at Wormsley with the Australians, West Indians, Sri Lankans and South Africans all having made appearances at the ground. It was the venue for the only Test match of the Australian women’s tour of England in 2013.
Cumbria got through to the Wormsley final with a 3-2 bowl-out win courtesy of Sam Sharp (2) and Michael Slack (1).
