Dumbleton head to Lord’s for the final of the National Village Cup next month, but any thoughts that may be taking it easy until then have been hit for six.

That’s because they are determined that when they go to the home of English cricket on Sunday 18^th September they will go there as champions of the Gloucestershire Division of the West of England Premier League.

And the race for that title continues on Saturday when Dumbleton will hope to make it 10 league wins in 14 games at bottom-of-the-table Apperley, and in so doing keep the pressure on long-time leaders Painswick.

Only the top side will win promotion to Premier Two Glos/Wilts and Dumbleton’s league captain Adam Stuart said: “We’ve got to keep the pressure on and hope Painswick make a mistake.

“At the start of the season our ambition was to get to Lord’s and win our division.”

Painswick hold an 18-point advantage over second-placed Dumbleton with both sides still having five games to play, so there is still all to play for.

Stuart said there was a big party at the club on Sunday after Dumbleton booked their place in the National Village Cup final with a 70-run win at Rainford.

He estimates there were some 100 Dumbleton supporters on Merseyside in a crowd of 400 to 500 who saw Dumbleton make 166 for nine from their 40 overs before dismissing the home side for just 96.

“We fielded and bowled very well,” said Stuart. “Everyone is really happy to be going to Lord’s, it will be everyone’s first time playing there, everyone is really excited, there’s a real buzz about the place.”

Stuart, a batsman who can also bowl, has been with the club for some 17 or 18 years and had been captain of the club’s National Village Cup side before handing over the reins to Rupert Salmon at the start of the campaign.

“We’ve twice come close to getting to Lord’s before,” continued Stuart, who is 35. “We got to the semi-final 11 years ago and two years ago we reached the quarter-finals.”

Dumbleton’s opponents at Lord’s will be Calmore Sports Club, who booked their place by beating Foxton Granta, from Cambridge, by seven wickets.

Calmore Sports, from Southampton, are the defending National Village Cup champions after defeating Cheshire side Alvanley in last year’s final.