2004 BROCKMAN CUP FINAL

SKIPPER Antony Waters was an easy pick as man of the match after guiding Kingskerswell IIs to a six-wicket win over Stoke Gabriel in last night’s Brockman Cup final at Torquay. 

Adjudicator Andy Jago didn’t have to look too far for his nominee after Waters stole the show in an, at times, low-key final. 

Stoke got away to a flying start — Jimmy Attwood (12) and Steve Cook (33) putting 38 without loss on the board in the first five overs — but once they went only young Rob Baker (19) made a double figure score. 

The bowler who got the brake on was Waters, whose four overs of left-arm seam only cost 12 runs and brought him two wickets. 

Veteran Dick Lear, with two for 14, also kept Stoke in check and they closed on 110 for nine at the end of their 20 overs. 

Kerswell didn’t get the best of starts as Dan Yeoman had them nine for two after a couple of overs. 

But he hadn’t got rid of opener Nigel Butt, who got his head down to make 40 as Kerswell recovered to reach 66 for three. 

A two-wicket burst from Doug Ansley (2-27) briefly put the game back in the melting pot. But this wasn’t to be Stoke’s night. 

Waters, who had been the quiet partner while Butt stayed in, upped the tempo and found a willing accomplice in Chris Chalk. 

Chalk clattered 20 not out off just eight balls and Waters moved on to an unbeaten 47 off 43 deliveries as Kerswell clinched victory with 11 balls to spare. 

Waters’ reward as man of the match was to become the first recipient of the Bill Stanbury Memorial Cup, awarded in memory of the late husband of competition vice-chairman Alison Stanbury.

Stoke Gabriel 110-9 (S Cook 33, R Baker 19; D Lear 2-15, A Waters 2-12 M Berry 2-17), Kingskerswell 112-4 (N Butt 40, A Waters 47; D Yeoman 2-6, D Ansley 2-22). Kingskerswell bt Stoke Gabriel by 6 wkts. Match report