CHESTER Boughton Hall will welcome Bootle into the fearsome bowl of Filkins Lane after reaching the northern regional final of the ECB Cockspur Cup Twenty20 competition.

Hall defeated Wood Lane in the West Midlands final to set up a tie against the Wadham Road outfit on September 5.

At Wood Lane CC, near Stoke, on Sunday a large Chester following saw Hall beat Mochdre in the semi-final before going into the showpiece.

With Ajit Ranjan ineligible for the tournament, Jim Gillson drafted in Ollie Thompson and Alex Kegg returned from injury.

The final was fireworks from the off. Steve Ogilby went to the very first ball then fine hitting from Goodwin – whose 77 earned him the man-of-the-day honour – and Ollie Law (40) added 87 before Law was caught in the deep.

Trevor Fabien blasted 38 and Matt Griffiths crafted 20 to finish on an enormous 208-6.

The hosts signalled their intent by smashing Fabien for 23 off his first over after the turnaround but the turning point for Hall came when Gillson introduced Griffiths to the attack and he took two wickets in two balls.

The 19th over, bowled by Goodwin yielded only three runs and it was left to Law to bowl a nervy last over.

although he went for a six courtesy of Jeff Maynard Chester held on as Wood Lane finished with 202-4.

The winners of the Northern final go into the national final at the Rose Bowl, home of Hampshire CCC, where the team could win a trip to Barbados.

In the Cheshire County League Hall slipped up against rivals OULTON PARK.

Batting first on a challenging wicket, only Warren Goodwin found his touch, adding 43 to pass 1,000 runs for the season as Hall were all out for 125, Park with three wickets apiece for Guy Emmett, Robin Taylor and Nathan Dumelow.

Hall rallied and had Park at 47-5 at one stage, but the title challengers eventually reached 126-8, Nick James playing a match-winning innings of 34no while Ajit Ranjan claimed 4-55 for Hall.

NESTON’S title bid is not completely lost as they sit in fourth place on 303 points having almost managed a notable victory over Alderley Edge at Parkgate.

After being set a target of 180-5 by Edge, Neston closed six runs short on 174-8, Sam McPherson scoring a fine 66 and Andy Roberts 44.