Sovereign Trophy Final 2023

By Stan Nicholson

26 July 2023

Often a cup final is an anti-climax. That applied to this ‘record low’ match : 106 runs, 34.5 overs. All over before lunch was ready.

The Middlesex County Cricket League Representative team from Divisions 2 and 3, probably had surprised themselves by reaching the final (?). They had an exceptional semi final win over the Caribbean Cup Competition XI, who had reached the final on four occasions in the previous six years.

Played at West Herts CC, MCCL won the toss and elected to bat. They never got going, with wickets falling at regular intervals, during 18 overs by both NCL opening seamers : Mehad Khan 4/23, Muhammad Tanveer 2/25. Md Muninul Islam, wrapping it up with 3/3 in 3.2 overs. 52 all out in 24.2 overs.

So straight back out for the NCL to complete the formalities. A run out in the first over, and a wicket with the first ball of the second over, and both opening batsmen dismissed, gave a littler scare and some excitement. Baber Choudhary and Vibhor Yadav knew what to do (twenty’s n.o.for each) .

NCL (National Cricket League) won by 8 wickets. Their third victory in the competition. Their previous wins being in 2018 and 2019. Seamer, Mehad Khan, received the Man-of-the-Match award.

For the full scorecard of the final, click here  

For the results and scores of this year’s competition click on this link to the Sovereign Trophy page on this website