Rupert Salmon will lead Dumbleton out at Lord’s on Sunday for what is sure to be a very memorable day for everyone associated with the club.

The 30-year-old top-order batsman will captain the team in the final of the National Village Cup against Calmore Sports Club, a team from Southampton who are also the defending champions.

“It’s going to be a really special day,” said Salmon, who has been with the club since the age of 12 or 13. “It’s really special for the club, the players, past members and players, and our supporters.”

Many of those supporters will be at the home of cricket on Sunday of course – the game starts at 11am – and Salmon is determined that the club, who finished runners-up in the Gloucestershire Division of the West of England Premier League this season, give them plenty to cheer.

“We want to put on a good performance and we want to win,” he said. “We’ve got some really talented players, if we play to our full potential we should be there or thereabouts.”

Salmon took over the captaincy of the National Village Cup side from Adam Stuart at the start of the campaign and this is the first time that the club have got to the final.

They reached the last four some 11 years ago and Salmon said: “I’ve been very lucky, we’ve got some really good young players who have grown up and matured, they’ve made my life easy.”

The competition, which began way back in 1972, has always been special for Dumbleton Cricket Club, with Salmon adding: “It’s hugely important to the club. I think we’ve played in it every year since its inception, it’s great that we’re in the final now.”

As you’d imagine, Salmon is a Dumbleton Cricket Club man through and through after moving to this part of the world from Shropshire as a youngster

“It’s a fantastic club,” he said. “It’s really family-orientated, we’ve got a fantastic junior section and we’ve got the perfect setting to play our home games.”

The players will be heading to Lord’s on Saturday and will stay in London on both Saturday and Sunday evenings.

“The club have been brilliant, really supportive,” continued Salmon. “They’ve got us new blazers, new training tops, it’s been amazing.”

The club, who booked their place in the final with a 70-run win at Lancashire club Rainford at the end of July, will train at the Nursery Ground at Lord’s on Saturday afternoon ahead of the final the following day which is a 40-overs match.

Calmore Sports Club booked their place at Lord’s by beating Foxton Granta, from Cambridge, by seven wickets. They beat Cheshire side Alvanley in last year’s final by six wickets in a rain-affected match.