Cricket feast at benefit day

AFTER an unsettled week the weather was kind for the annual Letchworth GC pro-am 7-a-side cricket tournament at Whitethorn Lane last Friday when eight sponsored sides, each containing a Warwickshire professional, battled it out for the Comet Trophy. This

AFTER an unsettled week the weather was kind for the annual Letchworth GC pro-am 7-a-side cricket tournament at Whitethorn Lane last Friday when eight sponsored sides, each containing a Warwickshire professional, battled it out for the Comet Trophy.

This year's event was held in aid of former Warwickshire captain Michael Powell's Benefit and he took part together with seven county teammates, Neil Carter, Jonathan Trott, Tony Frost, Ant Botha, Tim Groenewald, Chris Woakes and Callum MacCleod.

There was a strong representation from local senior clubs and the draw threw up a very interesting encounter in the very first game with the trophy holders, Benchmark Fabrications, represented by Stevenage CC players, taking on Letchworth GC Heritage Foundation whose side consisted of Letchworth GC players.

Benchmark won this encounter but were then beaten in the semi-final by Celebration Marquees whose team was drawn from Knebworth Park.

The Heritage Foundation side went on to win the Plate Competition for first round losers while Celebration Marquees met Old Edmundians in the final of the main competition.

The comfortable and surprise winners were Old Edmundians, captained by Hitchin's Ian 'Banger' Bowyer, whose side included four players from Letchworth's 2nd and 3rd XIs, Darren Curry, Dan Burley, Dane Hirst and Michael Turner, plus first team star Ed Morse and professional Callum Macleod.