Challow & Childrey are bidding to overturn the odds when they face dual national champions Shipton-under-Wychwood in the Oxfordshire final of the Persimmon Village Cup on Sunday (2pm).
Despite having to switch the game to Shipton as they are staging Oxfordshire’s Minor Counties Championship contest against Wiltshire, Challow remain upbeat.
“I fancy our chances,” said director of cricket Mark Roche.
“The side are playing really well together under our young captain Nigel Hume.
“The 40-overs format seems to suit our players.”
Hume said: “We are very happy that we have got this far, the boys have trained hard.
“We go into this game as underdogs.
“We have othing to lose and so the pressure is on them.”
Challow have never reached the county final before let alone won it, so they have already made club history.
This is the first time the MP Sports Cherwell League Division 2 club have entered the competiton, since being thrown out 20 years ago for playing two Australians in a tie against Aston Rowant.
“We only entered this year to give us some meaningful cricket at the start of the season,” explained Roche.
“We never entertained any thoughts of reaching the final.”
Indeed, the club fixed up a pre-season friendly against Shipton, played under Village Cup rules.
Challow won the game by 11 runs, and have not looked back since.
Victories over Cumnor, Great & LittleTew, Tiddington and Shivenham mean that they now meet Shipton again.
For the final, Challow make three changes from the side that beat Shrivenham, Ian Demain, Luke Owen and Luke Jones coming in for Roger Podbery, Neil Phillips and Mark Podbery.
Shipton, who lost in the national final last year, have seen off Cherwell League Division 1 leaders Oxford Downs and Home Counties Premier League side Horspath to reach this stage.
They have named a squad of 14 for the game.
Skipper Simon Hole said: “We have got a good side again with a good mix of youth and experience, but it is all about what happens on the day.
“We lost to Challow during pre-season and are up for a bit of revenge.”
Challow & Childrey: N Hume (capt), S Burry, R Gordon, I Demain, N Hill, R Owen, L Jones, D Slade, O Dimbylow, J Harris, M Middleton.
Shipton-under-Wychwood: from Hole (capt), Charlie Brain, A Hemming, J Barrett, Senior, Hunt, Miller, Seacole, Bates, P Hemming, Jennings, Christian Brain, Cross, Wood.
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