By Paul Edwards

Blackheath CC became Royal London Club champions on Sunday following an emphatic nine-wicket demolition of Northern in the final at Beckenham.

Chris Willetts’ team scaled heights of their own to carry off the most prestigious trophy in English club cricket, beating their Liverpool-based opponents with 92 balls to spare.

Having lost the toss and been invited to bowl first on a wicket retaining early moisture, the Kent Premier League side began in the best possible fashion when Stephen Lucas edged Warren Lee’s fifth ball of the day to Dipayan Paul at second slip.

Despite a solid 58 from Ryan Maddock, Northern posted 161-9 and Blackheath’s pursuit of their modest target could not have been more straightforward.

Although Jahid Ahmed was caught by Jack Boardman for 32 to end his opening stand of 67 in 14 overs with Willetts, everything else went Blackheath’s way.

By the end of the 30th over, the Northern players may have been anxious to get off the field, while Blackheath’s were also keen to do so simply to open the champagne.

Willetts made 58 not out off 97 balls, and Tanweer Sikander an unbeaten 52 off a mere 48 balls.  

Lee was man of the match, although Willetts and James Hands rated honourable mentions on a day Blackheath will celebrate and treasure for a long time.

“It ended up being reasonably comprehensive but our bowlers really set it up,” said Willetts.

“I wasn’t too disappointed to lose the toss because I thought it would do a bit early on. I thought we gave them twenty or thirty runs more than we should have done.

“It’s very useful to have bowlers like James Hands in your back pocket when you know that he’s going to go for next to nothing.

“There are only one or two players who remember us winning this in 1971, but it is nice to play at a club which has a tradition of doing well in these competitions.”

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt