Leeds & Broomfield (129) lost to Milford Hall (139) by 10 runs in the 2023 Voneus Village Cup Final at Lord’s

Leeds & Broomfield failed in their quest to become the first Kent side to win the Village Cup since 1999 after losing to Milford Hall at Lord’s on Sunday.

There were three wickets apiece for Clarry McCague and skipper Ed Scrivens as Leeds were set a target of 140 to win.

But, on a sun-drenched day at the home of cricket, Leeds lost early wickets as the pressure of the chase got to them against a spin-heavy Milford attack.

Alex Czabaniuk and James Mitchinson put on 77 to nearly get Leeds home but a tension-packed finale saw Milford Hall snatch victory.

The tone for an exciting day was set as early as the seventh ball when Czabaniuk produced a breathtaking one-handed grab high to his right at second slip off McCague to remove Dominic Afford for a duck.

McCague struck again with the first ball of his next over to leave Milford Hall 9-2, trapping opener Thomas Webb in front for five.

Fellow opening bowler Neil Dibben got in on the act in the fifth over, bowling Aaron Afford with a lovely inswinger for three.

At 13-3, Milford Hall faced a rebuilding job but they quickly lost Stuart Phazey for five, driving at a full-length McCague delivery, he nicked behind to wicketkeeper Chris Davis. That left Miltford Hall 22-4 in the eighth over and McCague, getting just enough movement down the slope from the Nursery End, had figures of 3-12.

He nearly had a fourth wicket before the over was out but Daniel Betty was put down at second slip when he was yet to score.

Betty hit McCague for successive boundaries off his next over while Dibben, who had conceded just five runs in his first five overs, was also hit to the ropes by Betty, who became the first batsman to reach double figures.

Dibben got his revenge, however, trapping Betty plumb