npower Village Cup Final - preview

Date released: 2 September 2008

Defending champions, Woodhouse Grange will take on Valley End in the 2008 npower Village Cup Final at Lord's on Monday 8 September.

Match information

For this 40-over match the gates open at 10am, with play scheduled to start at 11am. The match is due to finish at 5.30pm with a 40 minute interval.

Our team of volunteer commentators will, as always be providing their excellent free audio commentary on the match - available around the Ground to partially sighted spectators, via the headsets available from the Head Stewards' Office.

The commentary will also be streamed, live online via Lords.org. If you cannot make it to the ground, be sure to click-on and listen in.

Woodhouse Grange

Woodhouse Grange CC, 1995 Village Cup champions Both Woodhouse Grange and Valley End had to contend with the frustration of their semi-finals being washed out twice before they seized their chance to reach the final at Lord's.

When the weather finally held off, Woodhouse Grange dispatched Woodhouses in a 'roses' semi-final - their rivals coming from Lancashire.

The Yorkshire side will have the benefit of the experience of former England bowler Phil DeFreitas.

DeFreitas will be at the game as an npower Ambassador, helping the make the game even more special for the finalists.

The seamer should be able to pass on some useful tips about Lord's, he has his name on the Honours Boards after brilliant match figures of 7-70 against Sri Lanka in 1991.

Valley End

Surrey side Valley End are youthful, compared to the experienced serial finalists Woodhouse Grange.

The average age of the Valley End team is just 22 and just one player, manager Ian Guest over the age of 30.

Passing on experience: Graham Thorpe They too will have an npower Ambassador on board in the shape of Graham Thorpe.

Thorpe, a veteran of 100 Test caps and 16 Test centuries for England has, surprisingly, never registered a ton at 'HQ' - his best score being 89 against India in 1996.

Nevertheless, he will be on hand to help calm the big-match nerves of the Valley End team in the club's first ever Village Cup final appearance.

They beat Welsh side Carew in their semi-final, registering a 37-run win to book their trip to 'The Home of Cricket'.

Come along and enjoy the match on Monday and give both sides some well deserved support or, if you cannot make it be sure to tune in to our live ball-by-ball commentary.

The commentators will be taking your emails to: ballbyball@lords.org and will be delighted to read out your messages of support/banter or even a bit of an inside line on the teams and their players.