Final: Barnt Green v Tamworth

Barnt Green lifted the Graham Williamson T20 Challenge Cup with an 46-run final win over Tamworth.

Chasing 189/6 Tamworth were never able to get ahead of the required run rate and eventually closed on 143/7.

But the final was far from one-way traffic as the South Staffordshire club gave the Division One title hopefuls a major scare by reducing their powerful batting line-up to 78/5 after just ten overs of the first innings.

The 2026 champions therefore owed much to an outstanding sixth-wicket partnership of 108 between Roshan Venkataraman and Harpreet Singh Brar which left Tamworth a testing target.

Venkataraman struck four sixes in his explosive 33-ball unbeaten 52 while Brar's 56 came from just 31 deliveries with seven boundaries plus two sixes.  

Liam Brazier earlier powered Tamworth's impressive start with a superb four-over spell that returned 3/16 including a maiden.

The medium-pacer claimed the all-important scalp of semi-final centurion Henry Cullen for a quickfire 32 before adding Green skipper Romi Brar (1) and Alfie Higgins (10) to his list of victims.

And for good measure Brazier also held the catch that dismissed Barnt Green's other semi-final star Jacques Banton off the bowling of Tom Smith (1/23) whose off-spin provided steady support.

After the break veteran Stuart Burrows top-scored for Tamworth with 56 while spinners Banton (1/23), Harpreet Brar (2/19) and Archie Greaves-Hall (3/40) starred with the ball for Barnt Green who go on to represent the BDPCL in the ECB Vitality Club T20.

Link to scorecard:

https://bdpcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/7731607

Line-Ups:

Barnt Green: Romi Brar (c), Henry Cullen, Jacques Banton, Dan Meredith, Alfie Higgens, Ben Chapman-Lilley, Roshan Venkataraman, Harpreet Brar, Archie Greaves-Hall, Jack Warner, Robbie Shurmer

Tamworth: Ed Smith (c), Alex Cappelluti, Stuart Burrows, Alec Price, James Rudge, Seyaam Khan, Tom Smith, Liam Brazier, George Thacker, James Cooper, Myles Botfield.

Umpires: Ismail Khan & Mark Brown

Semi-Final 1: Tamworth v Berkswell

Led by an excellent four-over spell from leg-spinner James Cooper, who claimed 2/16, Tamworth held their nerve to clinch a tight 15-run semi-final win over Berkswell.

This seemed an unlikely outcome when openers Ethan Wragg and Will Tarrant had got Berkswell's quest for 172 off to a flying start.

Wragg smashed four boundaries in the opening over on his way to a 14-ball 36 and with Tarrant adding an equally rapid-fire 25 the opening four powerplay overs produced 61 runs.

But the dismissal of both in quick succession plus the introduction of Cooper and Tom Smith (3-28) gradually shifted momentum in Tamworth's favour.

And despite Oliver Maile making an even-time 35 in the closing stages Berkswell fell narrowly short.

A fine half-century from Alec Price and a late flurry from Seyaam Khan had earlier led the way for Tamworth.

The in-form Price who made 54 from 40 balls dominated a useful third-wicket stand of 59 with Australian left-hander Alex Cappulleti.

When James Rudge was well caught by Umar Shaikh Tamworth had reached 93/4 at the midpoint of their innings.

But Berkswell's youthful attack stuck well to their task and they were soon rewarded by a double-strike that saw Price joined back in the pavillion by skipper Ed Smith.

Khan, who made 33 from 23 balls, then joined forces with Cooper to ensure the total passed 170. Shaikh and Lucas Wragg claimed two wickets apiece for Berkswell.

Link to scorecard: 

https://bdpcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/7718876

Line-Ups:

Berkswell: Will Tarrant (c), Ethan Wragg, Will Iles, Oliver Maile, Umar Shaikh, Lucas Wragg, Ross Warwood, Josh Aspinall, Harry Taylor, Alex Maile, Ishan Singh.

Tamworth: Ed Smith (c), Alex Cappelluti, Stuart Burrows, Alec Price, James Rudge, Seyaam Khan, Tom Smith, Liam Brazier, George Thacker, James Cooper, Myles Botfield.

Umpires: Rob Murphy & Mark Brown

Semi-Final 2: Shrewsbury v Barnt Green

A violent second-wicket partnership of 177 between Jacques Banton (83no) and Henry Cullen (101) enabled Barnt Green to romp to a seven-wicket semi-final win over Shrewsbury.

After losing an early wicket, the Worcestershire outfit pressed hard on the accelerator in pursuit of Shrewsbury's 204/6 and duly raced to the finish post with 19 balls in hand.

Cullen's brilliant century came from just 48 balls with 13 boundaries and five sixes while Banton cleared the rope three times and reached it on a further ten occasions while making a 38-ball unbeaten 83.

Barnt Green's target had threatened to be higher when Shrewsbury openers Pete Clark and George Hargrave raced to 107 in just nine overs through some explosive hitting.

Their partnership was unluckily broken when Clark was dismissed by a deflected straight drive at the bowler's end for a 28-ball 44.

Seb Scott (33) then joined Hargrave in taking the total to 164/3 but after both fell in quick succession Barnt Green's bowlers produced a good display of damage limitation in the closing stages.

Hargrave's 70 came from 40 balls with four sixes and eight fours while Ben Chapman-Lilley (2/27) was the pick of the Barnt Green attack.

Link to scorecard: 

https://bdpcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/7731607

Line-Ups:

Shrewsbury: Lewis Evans (c), Matt Swift, Peter Clark, George Hargrave, Fin Jones, Seb Scott, Llyr Thomas, Dustin Melton, Gabe Downes, Sam Whitney, Will Jenkins

Barnt Green: Romi Brar (c), Henry Cullen, Jacques Banton, Dan Meredith, Alfie Higgens, Ben Chapman-Lilley, Roshan Venkataraman, Harpreet Brar, Archie Greaves-Hall, Jack Warner, Robbie Shurmer

Umpires: Ismail Khan & Rob Murphy

To watch a You Tube feed of the second semi-final between Shrewsbury and Barnt Green follow the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV6dYaKSgN8