By Mark Bristow

Leeds & Broomfield will take their place in the Lord's Final of the national village knockout cup after their 137-run victory away to Cornish side Grampound Road on Sunday.

Leeds, who now head to the game's spiritual home on Sunday, September 3, could be celebrating a league and cup double on the same weekend with the Final taking place the day after the conclusion of their Kent League Division 1 campaign.

The club cemented their place at the top of the league with victory at Nonington on Saturday before making the journey to Cornwall straight after the game.

Rick Parsons, the Leeds director of cricket, said: "It was a great weekend for the club and a brilliant team effort to win both games.

“Obviously, the logistics of travelling to Truro in such a short time were an issue - particularly after Neil Dibben hit a six through the rear window of the minibus at Nonington.

"So that needed some judicious use of cardboard and gaffer tape before we set out, but some of us stayed in Exeter overnight and some in Bodmin before we completed the journey on the Sunday morning.

"I think there may have been a few sore heads on Monday after the celebrations in the Grampound clubhouse but they fully deserved it, and it goes without saying that Lord's is going to be a massive and unique occasion for the club and the village.

"My task as director of cricket is to keep everyone grounded between now and the Final and, with everything so tight points-wise in the league, each game is vital in terms of where we want to be next season.

"But I don't think keeping the team focused will be a problem. They are one of the best groups of players I have worked with, and all of them know what a tremendous opportunity this is for them.

“There's a lot of cricket to play before that, though."

Phil Semmens, ironically a Cornishman who hails from Redruth, was their player-of-the-match with 5-11 in his seven overs of medium pace as the home side were bowled out for 70 in front of a sizeable local crowd.

Earlier, openers Monte McCague, with 41 from 38 balls, and Ed Scrivens (58 from 87 balls) had given Leeds a solid start that was maintained in the middle order by a well-paced 61 from George Davis as Leeds reached 207-6.

Parsons, who coached Sevenoaks Vine to the Kent League Premier Division title in 2014, added: "Although the covers were on and off, we got in our full 40 overs. But, with the threat of rain always present, we had to keep an eye on their run rate, even though we were taking wickets at regular intervals.

"The boundaries were quite big for a village ground and the outfield slow but I can only give full credit to the way we batted with lots of quick singles and good running between the wickets rather than people eyeing up the boundaries all the time. The batters did a really professional job.

"We've got a good, strong squad of players and selection for Lord's is not going to be easy and one or two players will be disappointed. But we had players left out of last Sunday's game travel down to Cornwall to support the team and it's a sign of the sense of unity we have. All the players support each other.

"We actually took great support given the distances involved with a good many of the players' families making the 700-mile round trip as well as players from our second and third XIs but Lord's will be something else.

“It's going to be some day for the club but we'll not be getting ahead of ourselves."

Leeds will face either Stayley, of Greater Manchester, or Milford Hall, of Staffordshire in the final who - having had their semi-final abandoned on Sunday - replay this weekend.