12 Mar 2016 | Cricket
Haverfordwest CC are set to depart for Lord's today ahead of the ECB Indoor National Club Championship Finals day at the MCC Academy at Lord's tomorrow.
The ECB Indoor National Club Championship will have a new champion in 2016 after the Regional Finals saw all four winning teams progressing to the National Finals for the first time. Belhus CC from Essex, Exeter University CC from Devon, Welsh side Haverfordwest CC and Yorkshire's Whitley Hall CC will do battle.
Edgbaston played host to the Midlands Regional Final and it was Haverfordwest CC that made two big scores to help them through to Lord's.
They dominated Cutnall Green CC of Worcestershire to win their semi-final by 86 runs before overcoming Elstow CC from Bedfordshire in the final.
Haverfordwest scored an imposing 155 but Elstow batted positively and were 74 for one halfway through their innings before losing three wickets in quick succession to eventually fall 18 runs short.
Whitley Hall CC claimed the fourth Lord's spot courtesy of their Northern Regional Final win at Derbyshire CCC. The Yorkshire side beat Durham side South Shields CC in the semi-final, dismissing their opposition for 80 before reaching their target without losing a wicket.
They faced Grasshoppers CC from Shropshire in the regional decider, who themselves beat 2015 National finalists Cherry Willingham CC from Lincolnshire in their semi-final.
Grasshoppers set a competitive 148 to win and though they left it late, Whitley Hall chased down the target with two balls to spare.
National Finals schedule - Sunday 13th March
11:00 - Semi-final 1 (Haverfordwest v Belhus)
12:45 - Semi-final 2 (Whitley Hall v Exeter University)
14:45 - Final