Oxfordshire to Feature in Unicorns T20 Finals Day on Sunday 12th July
- Sunday 12th July from 10am
- Oxfordshire play in semi-final 2
- 7 Banbury players to turn out at home club
- Bar and Beer Festival
- BBQ and food available
- FREE ENTRY (on ground parking £5)
Banbury Cricket Club will host the finals day of the inaugural Unicorns Twenty20, the Minor Counties Cricket Association’s (MCCA) T20 tournament, at their White Post Road Ground, Bodicote. The finals day is on Sunday 12th July, with the action starting with the semi-final between Devon v Cheshire at 10am, followed by Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire from 1.15pm. The final takes place at 4pm.
Oxfordshire are set to benefit from home advantage after beating Shropshire and Herefordshire in the twenty team national competition en route to finals day. Seven of the eleven players used in those fixtures are Banbury players and a further three used to play at White Post Road, so all should know the conditions and there will be a strong local interest.
The Oxfordshire Cricket Board and Banbury Cricket Club are delighted to have had the honour of hosting the finals day bestowed upon them. Entry to the ground will be free and Banbury CC has organised a beer festival with the kind help of club sponsors Brakspere Beers, part of the Marston’s Brewery Group. There will be six guest real ales available, including Jimmy Anderson’s ‘King of Swing’ Ale, as well as full bar facilities and a BBQ.
Banbury Cricket Club Chairman Martin Phillips commented:
“In my opinion it is fantastic that a club ground has been given the opportunity to host this prestigious game. All players, from Alistair Cook down to our 5th XI captain Andrew Proctor rely on club cricket to give them their start in the game. Great days such as this give clubs a chance to raise their profile, as well as a few pounds for their youth sections. I hope other clubs are given the chance in the future, and I am sure the local sporting community in Banbury will get great enjoyment from our own opportunity.”
Luke Ryan, Oxfordshire CCC Captain added:
“We are looking forward to the day and we’re in it to win it. We came close to picking up some silverware last year in the final of the MCCA one day competition, which makes us all the more hungry to go one step further on the 12th of July. Conditions don’t play as big of a deciding factor in T20 cricket, but any benefit we can get from knowing our home surface we will look to exploit. We can’t wait for the day.”