TODAY offers a special challenge for Phil Nicholson, the 32-year-old Northumberland wicketkeeper, who aims to lead his county to a first title in their 111-year history when they play Dorset in the Minor Counties Cricket Association Trophy final at Lord’s.

Now in his seventeenth summer with Northumberland and tenth as captain, he wants to draw on the experience of two years ago, when his team lost by seven wickets to Berkshire in the final. “We have eight of that squad playing this time and know what to expect,” Nicholson said Allan Worthy scored 94 when Northumberland beat Wiltshire by four wickets in the semi-finals, while Dorset reached Lord’s with a seven-wicket win over Staffordshire, who were dismissed for 95, Matt Metcalfe returning five for nine. Michael Austin

CLUBS

BOTH semi-finals of the Cockspur Cup were abandoned on Sunday and will be staged this weekend. Caythorpe, of the Nottinghamshire Premier League, will play South Northumberland, who are expected to win the North East Premier League for the third year running.

Bromley, who will include Nadeem Shahid and Joey Benjamin, the former Surrey players, will take on St Just, who are attempting to become champions of the Cornwall Premier League. All of their players are drawn from a population of 4,000. Six have represented the county this season, including Neil Curnow, who struck an unbeaten 119 against Ealing in the quarter-finals. Another member of St Just’s team is David Roberts, formerly of Northamptonshire. The final is scheduled to be played at Lord’s on September 4. Ivo Tennant

VILLAGES

THE village cricketer’s dream of playing at Lord’s will come true for the players of Houghton Main, from South Yorkshire, and Timsbury, from Somerset, when they contest the npower Village Cup final on September 3.

Timsbury were comfortable victors over Easton & Martyr Worthy, the Hampshire club, in the semi-finals. Dave Pippett hit 73 and Darren Wilkins 46 as Timsbury made 165 for five from 40 overs.

After 30 overs, Easton were well placed at 101 for two, but then collapsed to 128 all out against the left-arm spin of Stephen Clothier, who finished with six for 28.

In the other semi-final, Houghton Main overhauled a testing total of 189 for seven made by Shipley Hall, from Derbyshire, to win by six wickets with more than three overs to spare. Ernie Heseltine, the captain, played the anchor role with a half-century. John Westerby

WOMEN

BEING the first Englishwoman to score a century at the home of cricket made Claire Taylor the toast of the Lord’s Committee Room at the post-match reception on Monday night. Champagne was shared with MCC’s dignitaries, but Taylor said that she was too tired to party with her friends gathered in the Tavern.

Her undefeated 156 in the first of five one-day internationals against India included only nine boundaries, but all the running did not ensure restful sleep. “I was awake by 5.30am because I was too excited,” Taylor said.

Nonetheless, the maths graduate from Oxford University will have her feet firmly on the ground when England play the second international at Shenley tomorrow. “Lord’s was amazing,” she said. “But more important to me is taking responsibility to win games for the team.” Sarah Potter