TEARS, CHEERS AND BEERS... LYMINGTON'S PREVIOUS CUP FINAL APPEARANCES

When Lymington take to the field at the Green Jackets Ground in Winchester on Saturday afternoon it will be the fifth time they have reached the final of local cricket's major cup competition: the Southern Premier Cricket League T20 Cup, formerly known as the Echo Trophy. 

The Echo Trophy began back in 1980 and predominately featured Southern League clubs, although teams from outside the league could also apply to take part. On occasion Lymington ventured eastwards into Sussex to play Chichester Priory, and westwards into Dorset to face Colehill where, as Stewart Hand will no doubt gleefully tell you, Lymington once became the victim of a rather embarrassing giant-killing act. Each innings would consist of 24 overs or last for a maximum of one and a half hours, whichever came first. Clubs took the competition very seriously and fielded strong sides so the standard was generally very high. Being an evening competition, early season fixtures could often end in near darkness, which was no fun if you happened to be facing one of the many quickies around the league such as Steve Malone or Stephen Andrew.

Lymington made it to their first Echo Trophy final in 1984 under Jon Hardy's captaincy. In the early rounds the team steamrollered Trojans (Hardy 110 not out) and South Wilts, against whom they rattled up a then record 221-6. The semi final was much closer with Mark Jackson helping Lymo sneak a one wicket win over Winchester. This sent them to a final against Waterlooville at the County Ground. Riding high in the league at the time, Lymington were the red hot favourites to win, and justified this tag by restricting Waterlooville to just 92-5 before cruising to 50-2 in reply. However, it then went pear-shaped in dramatic fashion as eight wickets fell for just 29 runs and Lymington were bowled out for 81. The team that night at the County Ground was Jon Hardy, Max Smith, Matt Smith, Peter Tapper, Jeff Hose, Guy Hayward, Clive Plant, Mark Jackson, Steve Andrew, Chris Allen, Dick Page.

It would be another 13 years before the club graced the Echo Trophy final again. By their own recent high standards Lymington were having a poor season in 1997 and won just four league matches all summer. However, in the cup they were having more success with wins over BAT, Parley Springfield, Old Tauntonians and Winchester taking them to the final. The second round victory at Parley had an incredible finish with the home side producing an extreme example of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. With just one ball of the match remaining Parley required one run to tie the scores and thereby win the match by virtue of losing less wickets. This they achieved, but in a bizarre moment of madness the Parley batsman Dean Burgess decided to attempt a suicidal second run and was run out by Lymington's Allan Spencer. This meant that the scores and the wickets lost were now equal, and after a countback Lymington went through to the next round courtesy of a marginally faster run rate after ten overs. 

Sadly, the final at the County Ground was nowhere near as exciting as that thriller at Parley. Opponents Havant were romping towards the Southern League title, and in West Indian Wilden Cornwall they possessed one of the finest all rounders in the league's history. Meanwhile, Lymington were struggling to put out a decent side for the final. Derek Pepperell, arguably the team's top batsman, had injured his knee and was unfit to play, while key bowlers Dan Goldstraw and Kevin Gilder were also unavailable. Hampshire Second XI opening batsman Glyn Treagus, whose county commitments had prevented him from playing in the previous rounds, was drafted in for the final at the expense of Tim Smith, much to the big Aussie's disappointment at the time. The match predictably went to form, although no-one could have guessed the magnitude of Havant's final victory margin. Batting first, Lymington struggled to 83 for 9 with Cornwall taking 3 for 13. It then took Havant just 11 chastening overs to wrap up a ten wicket win with that man Cornwall smashing a rapid 44 not out. After the game, man-of-the-match Cornwall, referring to Lymington's decision to open the batting with veteran Peter Tapper, memorably and perhaps somewhat unfairly stated, "I was surprised they opened with the old guy". The defeated Lymington team for the 1997 final was Glyn Treagus, Peter Tapper, Neil Trestrail, John Mottashed, Mike Caffyn, Dave Griffiths, Tony Oxley, Les Browning, Rob Howarth, Trevor Phillips, Paul Coles.

Lymington's defeated players sheepishly climb the 
pavilion steps to receive their runners-up trophies

 

Four years later the trophy had a new name and a new venue for the final. Southern Electric Contracting had taken over the sponsorship from the Echo, and the final was being played at Hampshire's impressive new Rose Bowl arena at West End. Lymington were by now playing in the second division of the newly formed Southern Premier Cricket League, and their journey to the final took them past OTs & Romsey, Paultons, BAT and Rowledge. The quarter final victory at first division high-flyers BAT was particularly rewarding. Former Zimbabwe A player Dan Peacock scored 46 as Lymo totalled 141 for 9 from 23 overs. Spinners Treagus, Dan Peacock and Wayne Smith then restricted BAT to 130 in reply. The semi final at Rowledge was delayed twice by rain before Lymington eventually recorded a ten wicket victory with Treagus smashing a superb 53 not out. This gave Lymington a place in the final against first divison Andover on a rock hard Rose Bowl pitch that had been used just a few days before by the Australian tourists in their defeat by Hampshire. On a perfect summer's evening Andover made a decent start, progressing to 30 before left arm seamer Paul Allen struck twice. From thereon the Andover innings became bogged down against Lymington's three-pronged spin attack and subsided to 95 for 8 from 24 overs. As each wicket fell, a mighty cry of "Next!" from Lymington's vociferous supporter Bob Iles echoed around the Rose Bowl's concrete terraces. In reply, Treagus and Aussie Brian Clemow saw Lymington through a tricky opening spell, and although Treagus fell for 33, Clemow (52 not out) and Peacock guided Lymo home to a nine wicket win with 11 overs to spare. Captain Neil Trestrail proudly lifted the cup for Lymington and the nightmare of 1997 had to some extent been exorcised. The victorious Lymington team was Brian Clemow, Glyn Treagus, Dan Peacock, Ben Craft, Neil Trestrail, Ian Young, Dave Griffiths, Jason Carr, Trevor Phillips, Wayne Smith, Paul Allen.

As a footnote (no pun intended), a jubilant Wayne Smith returned to the Rose Bowl changing room to discover that someone had stolen his trainers. Wayne's footwear had become somewhat infamous for its highly odorous state, and there were some Lymington players who suggested that the trainers had walked out on their own! 

 

The 2001 winning team

 

In the following years the 24 overs-a-side competition morphed into the popular new T20 format, complete with colourful kits and orange balls. Lymington initially struggled with the new form of the game, but by 2009 the team had finally made it to the top division of the SPCL and boasted a strong line up including former Australian test bowler Simon Cook. After a nervy six run first round win over Hursley Park, Lymington enjoyed comfortable victories over Bashley and Portsmouth to secure their place at the Rose Bowl where they would play old rivals Ventnor. 

By now the Rose Bowl had installed floodlights, and for most of the players it would be their first experience of playing under lights. Lymington skipper Christain Pain knew how important it would be to bat first in daylight and was relieved to win the toss. Glyn Treagus (24), Morgan Rushbrook (27), Rob Lammiman (44), Tommy Barton (33) and Pain (20 not out) all made significant contributions as Lymington reached a challenging 176 for 5 from their 20 overs. Simon Cook soon dismissed Ventnor's Adam Hose (whose father had played for Lymington in the 1984 final) for a duck, and with wickets falling at regular intervals the score dipped to 95 for 6. However, Ian Hilsum kept the Islander's hopes alive with a half century to give Ventnor a sniff of victory, but the tall Aussie Cook returned to dismiss Hilsum and the innings closed on 159 for 6, giving Lymington a 17 run victory. The Lymington team was Glyn Treagus, Morgan Rushbrook, Ron Lammiman, James Lucy, Tommy Barton, Simon Cook, Christian Pain, Cameron Grierson, Mark Newton, Ed Molloy, Ed Freeman. There's always something quite special and magical about big sporting events under floodlights, and this was no exception. The evening is still talked about and remembered fondly by the Lymington players and supporters, not least Christian Pain who proudly collected the trophy that night.

Ed Freeman celebrates the wicket of Charlie Freeston

Captain Christian Pain

 

Johnny and Cookie show off the trophy

Five years later the club were back in the final. The path to the Rose Bowl (by now re-named the Ageas Bowl) saw them defeat Totton & Eling, Hartley Wintney, Bashley and Havant. Darren Cowley was having a whale of a time, scoring 108 not out v Hartley Wintney, 90 v Bashley and 61 v Havant, and Lymo's hopes in the final were pinned on him and Australian batsman Damien Mortimer. However, up against them was a very talented South Wilts side who included the prolific batsman Tom Morton and future Zimbabwe test all rounder Ryan Burl. The Salisbury side won the toss and elected to bat, and with Morton scoring a swift 61, they raced away to 120 for 1. Mortimer stemmed the tide with four wickets but South Wilts still managed to end on an imposing 184 for 7. With Mortimer falling cheaply, followed not long after by Cowley for 26,  Lymington's hopes began to fade and only three batsmen made double figures as the innings stuttered to a dismal 78 all out. The Lymington team that night included Ed Ellis and Simon Beetham who may well be playing for St Cross against Lymington on Saturday. The full line-up versus South Wilts: Damien Mortimer, Ben Rogers, Darren Cowley, Ryan Scott, Felix Ambrose, Dom Hand, Ed Ellis, Simon Beetham, Kieran Moors, Ed Freeman, Guy Layman.

Sadly, for whatever reason, the final has recently been moved away from the Hampshire HQ, which is real shame, since for many of those who were fortunate enough to play on the hallowed turf it may well have been the highlight of their career. That said, it's doubtful that whoever lifts the trophy at about 5pm on Saturday afternoon will really care where the match is being played. Come on Lymo!