For the fourth time in five seasons the 1st XI have made the national rounds of the Village Cup. They booked their place with a comfortable nine wicket win over Peppard Stoke Row at Ricketts Field on Sunday. Peppard batted first but their innings never got going and they lost wickets throughout. The wickets were shared around with four bowlers getting two wickets apiece.

Victory was never in doubt once skipper Ben Millar and Kurran Mangat got the chase off to a flyer. Millar fell for 27 but was the only wicket to fall while Mangat finished not out with a run a ball 55. Mark Lowden finished the match in style with a huge six over mid-wicket to complete the chase in 18.5 overs.

In the next round we will travel to Hampshire winners Liphook & Ripsley. They compete in the second tier of the Southern Premier League and will be a much sterner test than what we have faced thus far. The match takes place on Sunday 24th June and it would be great to see CDCC members make the trip there.

The prize for the winners is a home tie in the last 16 against the winners of Oxfordshire (Oxford Downs) versus Glamorgan & Gwent (Miskin Manor). The Dean of course narrowly lost to the Welsh side in a thrilling 2016 quarter final.