Cricket: Cardiff MCCU become British Universities Champions again

8 July 2010

Cardiff MCCU have ended another successful season with yet more silverware. The team won the BUCS one-day (50 overs) final at Fenners, Cambridge University against a strong Loughborough side.

After finishing top of the BUCS Premier League table at the end of the regular season the Cardiff team duly qualified for the BUCS final against league runners-up Loughborough. Having won the toss Cardiff elected to bat first on what looked like a very good wicket. Both opening batsmen made a good start moving the scoring along at nearly a run a ball. After losing his opening partner for 22 runs Ryan Bishop batted extremely well for his 115 off only 132 balls. This gave the innings the stability it needed and allowed batsmen lower in the order to score some boundaries. Shannon came in after the loss of the fourth wicket and scored a superb 64 of 47 balls which included 9 fours. Cardiff ended the innings on 281-5 off their 50 overs.  In reply, Loughborough started well with opener Welsh scoring 37 off as many balls before Cardiff University Business Management student Dominic Reed had him caught behind by wicket keeper Burns. This was the start of a man of the match bowling performance by Reed who ended with figures of 4-40 off his ten overs. Loughborough ended their innings on 273-7 thus falling short of the Cardiff total by 8 runs.

This is the seventh trophy the team have won in 4 years which includes every possible Cup and Championship in University cricket. Director of Cricket and Head Coach Kevin Lyons continues to produce results on the field and was typically philosophic about the success “2010 has again been a very enjoyable and worthwhile season, and as in previous years has been based on hard work, particularly in the off-season, with a strong team ethos to perform on the field of play”.

Head of Sport at Cardiff University Stuart Vanstone also commented ‘Kevin and the whole squad deserve enormous credit for continuing to put Cardiff MCCU at the top of British University Cricket. Balancing the University Cricket season  with academic timetables can prove difficult because of the timing of the competitions. Players need to be extremely organised and manage their time effectively around exams. As a result Cardiff MCCU continues to be successful and is now considered to be the leading University Cricket Centre in the UK’.