Sheppey Cricket Club captain Bobby Cunningham is hoping his side can gatecrash the Kent Cricket League party during this weekend’s Doug Wood Cup finals day.

Cunningham’s Kent Regional League side have made it through to the semi-finals of the tournament and will go head-to-head with Minster, Rodmersham and Upchurch for the title on Sunday.

Sheppey are the only side of the four not playing in the Kent League this season but Cunningham insists his side aren’t just there to make up the numbers.

Last year’s winners Bapchild host the tournament and Sheppey have been drawn to face Rodmersham.

Cunningham said: "We’ve got nothing to lose and it suits us being the 16-over format.

"I’m more than happy with the draw and ideally we would face Minster in the final but we know we’ve got a hard game first.

"We’ve already gone further than anyone expected in the first year we’ve been in the competition.

"We’re not going there expecting to be beaten and turning up expecting to win."

Minster, meanwhile, are without captain Nathan Nichol and other key first XI players James White and Mark Tucker. Despite missing the match Nichol is hoping his side can go one better than last year when they were beaten in the final by Bapchild.

They are paired with Upchurch in the second semi-final.

He said: "We’ve got good relations with Upchurch and they are a strong team and it will be a good test. It’s not a bad thing that we’re playing them in the semi-final. We are on par with them and they are a decent outfit.

"It’s going to be a good challenge and I’m just gutted I won’t be there.

"It would be good to get the trophy back after winning it in 2007."