By Charles Randall

29 Augsut 2012

Bath CC won the ECB Under-15 National Cup and spoilt Lindum CC's hopes of winning the competition for the second successive year.

Last year Lindum, from Lincoln, beat Woodford Wells to take the crown for the first time, and this summer they reached the final again, beating Old Northamptonians in the morning semi-final at Kibworth in Leicestershire. But it was Bath who dominated the day.

Bath's captain Pat Grieshaber hit 50 in a nine-wicket win after Lindum had been bowled out for 101 in exactly 20 overs, victory arriving with 6.4 overs to spare. Max O'Leary, the main run-scorer in Bath's eight-wicket semi-final success over Hambledon, weighed in with 39 not out.

Lindum had seven players from their successful campaign last year, but their batting failed against Bath, with only Will Wright resisting for 42. George Hankins finished off their innings with 3-7 in four overs of off-spin. Grieshaber proved unstoppable in reply until he was retired out according to the rules.

Grieshaber, a batsman-wicketkeeper from Sheldon School, justified his high reputation, having already played for Gloucestershire 2nd XI this summer. His Somerset Under-15 colleague O'Leary, from Beechen Cliff School, was another promising player in this vintage Bath age-group side.

Lindum's fall at the last hurdle meant that no club had managed to win this national competition in consecutive years since Walsall's hat-trick of titles up to 1986, when there were significantly fewer entries.