Bath Cricket Club have reached the final of the National Club Championship and will play Bramhall at Lord's on Thursday 6th September.

This is the second time Bath have reached the finals within the last three years. In 1998 they were beaten by Doncaster in the then Abbott Ale Cup at Lord's, a match in which the recently selected young England off spinner Richard Dawson (playing for Doncaster) was unceremoniously lifted into the spectator stands on two occasions by big hitting Bath left-hander Mark Sage during his innings of 47.

This year Bath have won through eight rounds of the competition culminating in a nail-biting semi-final match against High Wycombe where Bath eventually succeeded on a heavily overcast day in a low-scoring match by three wickets. Greg Brown hit the winning runs and said afterwards: "That was the most important innings of my life.". (High Wycombe 117-9, Bath 118-7)

The Bath squad for Lord's is Stuart Priscott (Capt), Gordon Swinney (V-Capt), David Pippett, Ben Staunton, Greg Brown, Mike Roe, Ian Shrubsole, Stuart Barnes. Steve Griffiths (wkt), Rob Hillman, Mark Sage, Grant Sheppard, Mark Thorburn, Phil McComish.

It is satisfying to note that 11 of the named players (above) were coached through all the age groups of Somerset Young Cricketers and played in their county junior teams.

© Somerset CCC