Village club etches name into Lord's history books

Foxton Granta are celebrating their second victory in two years at Lord's

Cricketers at a club formed five years ago have etched their names into the record books by winning a national competition for the second year running.

Foxton Granta, whose home is Foxton in Cambridgeshire, beat Stayley, who are based in Stalybridge, Cheshire, in the Voneus Village Cup final at Lord's.

They recorded the third highest total in the 53-year history of the Village Cup and became the fifth club to win back-to-back finals. They reached a score of 265 for 4 in their 40-over innings before taking all of Stayley's wickets for 120 runs.

More than 100 supporters travelled from Cambridgeshire to north-west London to see Foxton Granta triumph again at cricket's most famous ground.

The two captains, Nick Woodhead, Stayley, and Lewys Hill, Foxton Granta, shook hands after the toss

Foxton Granta, whose first team play in the Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire Premier League Division 1, was formed when Foxton Cricket Club and Cambridge Cricket Club merged in 2021.

Opening batsman Richard Kaufman scored 122 - the third highest individual innings in final history - after making 110 in the 2024 final.

Last year Foxton Granta had beaten Gloucestershire side Dumbleton by seven wickets.

Kaufman's fellow opener, Adam Webster, celebrated his third appearance in the final.

Last year, Webster made 97 not out as Foxton Granta overhauled Dumbleton's 240 for the loss of three wickets.

Webster, who lives in Swavesey, Cambridgeshire, had captained Foxton when they were beaten by Woodhouse Grange, who are based in Sutton-Upon-Derwent, York, in the 2015 final.

Foxton Granta batsman Adam Webster made his third Lord's appearance

The Lord's final was the side's ninth game in this year's competition.

Captain Lewys Hill said he was hopeful that Foxton Granta could win for a third time next year.

"Nothing is impossible," said Hill, a 32-year-old software salesman from St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

"I don't think anyone has won it three years running."

Hill added: "I was confident coming into the final this time - not so confident at the start of the competition. We've played nine games. It's very hard."

He said Foxton Granta's 2025 league form had not been as good as in 2024.

They had finished ninth in the league this year - after finishing fourth in 2024.

The Stayley side posing in front of the main pavilion at Lord's, before the Village Cup final