Milford Hall strive for more after big day out at Lord’s

The Staffordshire-based team won the competition for the first time in their history on Sunday after beating Leeds & Broomfield by 10 runs.

As the sun set at Lord’s, the game’s most historic venue, Phillip Semmens clunked the ball out to deep mid-wicket off the bowling of veteran Mark Thompson and director of cricket Stuart Phazey did the rest, claiming a simple catch in front of the Grand Stand.

A place where in 2019 Jason Roy had picked up the ball to run out Martin Guptil in the World Cup final to send Lord’s into meltdown.

But this time it was Milford creating their slice of history at the Home of Cricket and the players celebrated wildly in front of more than 600 supporters who had made the journey to the capital to support them.

And Smith says the club has enormous potential to build from this.

He said: “This is a huge opportunity for the club to grasp this superb position that we find ourselves in.

“But if I am being brutal the first thing we have got to do is go back to the league action next week.

“We have got to make sure we win our final game of the season against Pelsall and see if we can win the league.

“There are so many opportunities for this club to go a lot further we have proved how we can put something on by bringing the whole club down here with us. Opportunities are bound.

“It was there, at Lord’s, somewhere that Milford has never been before.

“Most club cricketers could only dream of playing at Lord’s. But to play here in a national final such as this, in a game that clearly ebbed and flowed massively.

“It is just so very very special.

“We dug in and the players never let their heads drop too much. I did think at one point we had gone a little bit quieter and we have got to change something and it will come.

“If you keep doing the same thing you will get the same answer. They batted very well and that one partnership from Leeds & Broomfield was good, but we dug and showed superb character as a club, as a team and we bonded together.

“The crowd were behind the players and the chanting and encouragement for the players was superb.”

Milford captain Dan Betty, who also captained Walsall when they were in the Birmingham League, lifted the trophy in front of the famous Lord’s pavilion.

The Milford supporters were allowed on to the field by stewards to be close to the trophy lift and Betty said it was a great occasion for him personally with his family there – even though they made hard work of the victory.

He said: “For me, for my family and friends for them to come across and them to all be involved and for them to be here it is really special.

“My uncle said to me ‘it was not good for my heart’ and they were all riding it with us.

“They would have all thought the same as us in that second innings, ‘we are running out of options’, but then to bring it home – it is great.”

It was a special day for all associated with the club, and the players had the luxury of enjoying a meal in the Lord’s Long Room with a win under their belts before the team coach took them back to Staffordshire to continue their celebrations.

They go on the hunt of the South Staffordshire County League title this weekend as they hunt down league leaders Beacon, who have a tricky task away at Fordhouses.