Minor Counties

Thirteen years have elapsed since Cambridgeshire last won the eastern division of the Minor Counties Championship but a young team under Damian Brandy, 25, the new captain, are only three points behind Hertfordshire with two matches remaining . Brandy, who spent three years with Leicestershire, said: “We are all learning together. I have little experience of captaincy but our 143-run win over Suffolk last week proved our capabilities.”

Brandy, an all-rounder, succeeded Ajaz Akhtar, whose five for 30, alongside a return of six for 52 from Andrew Clarke, a former Essex medium-pace bowler, contributed to the victory at Mildenhall.

Simon Kellett scored a half-century in each innings, while Alan Burton and Lewis Bruce, both from Peterborough, are youthful and promising. The eastern champions will host the western winners in the final from September 9 to 12.

Clubs

Kibworth, the 2004 winners of the Cockspur Cup, won their quarter-final by eight runs despite Kidderminster Victoria, who needed 218 for victory, reaching 172 for one. The final, to be held at Lord’s, has been switched to September 11 to enable the first floodlit match to be staged on the ground to take place the previous day.

The other matches played last weekend were ties from the previous round. Bromley, for whom Leo Taylor struck 52, defeated Stanmore by eight runs. Ruel Braithwaite, who played for West Indies against England A this season, took three for 41. Henley beat Totton by five wickets thanks to a half-century by Jono McLean, the former Hampshire batsman. For Totton, who made 173 for eight, Damian Shirazi scored 92. West Indian Cavaliers defeated Lytham in the third attempt at staging the fixture, the venue having been moved from Nottingham.