Langleybury win historic Heath Park Cup

The final was played in beautiful sunny conditions on Friday at Hemel Hempstead CC’s Heath Park ground.

The knock-out T20 cup contest, which began back in May and is sponsored by ADEX Interiors, has a rich history dating back to 1960, long before the current vogue of short-overs cricket.

Langleybury were taking on Leverstock Green, the 2016 winners of the competition and two-time finalists of the past six years.

It was the 11th time that Langleybury have won the cup, with previous wins coming in 1980, 82, 85, 94, 95, 97, 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

Leverstock Green won the toss and elected to bat first.

They got off to a good start with 23 runs on the board.

But Ollie Ilott and Chinmay Mullapidie then found their length to restrict the Green batsmen and the first wicket fell with the score on 23 in the third over when Ilott bowled the Leverstock opener.

He followed that up with another wicket in his third over with the score on 26.

Leverstock then formed a partnership of 32 in five overs before they lost three wickets in just two overs, with Khalid Manzoor taking two wickets in the 11th over to leave Green on 60-5.

Another partnership of 32 followed before man of the match Ross Channer took four wickets for only 27 runs in his five overs.

Manzoor finished with figures of 3-26 and Ilott grabbed 2-29 as Leverstock finished their allotted overs on 122-9.

Langleybury’s reply got off to a poor start when, in the first over and the score on seven, they lost their captain Nahim Amin, the hero of their semi-final victory when he hit 106.

Mo Manzoor scored rapidly with 30 runs before he was the third man out with the score on 65 in the 10th over.

Pete Metcalfe (35) and Josh Godden (17) then put on 43 in quick time before they were both out, leaving Khalid Manzoor and Channer to get the remaining runs with five wickets and seven balls to spare.

Langleybury beat last year’s winners Kings Langley as well as Watford Town and Berkhamsted on their way to the final.