After the U12s success in the Brian Taylor Trophy on Friday, it is over to the U19s on Sunday as they head to Garon Park for Finals Day of the Ravi Bopara Trophy.  It is the first time an Upminster side has reached this stage of the competition after several near misses and spurned opportunities in the past.  The closest they have come previously was in 2016 when a strong Upminster side lost their quarter final at Goresbrook by just eight runs.  Upminster will face Bishop's Stortford in a lunchtime last four showdown on Sunday while Wanstead & Snaresbrook play Shenfield in the morning semi final.

This season Upminster have been in fine form throughout the competition, despite being handed a tough route to Finals Day.  A brilliant 100 not out from Mit Shah helped them to an opening day success at Brentwood and they followed this up with an 84 run win over Harold Wood thanks to a half century from Gus Philpot and four wickets from Joseph Brooks.  Upminster then sealed top spot in the group as they easily beat Belhus at Upminster Park with Zoran Suneel making 89 not out against his former club and Joshan Narbheram picking up three wickets.  That took Upminster through to a quarter final tie against Old Southendians (who of course also play at Garon Park) last Monday.   Southendians had impressed in the group stages, beating Hutton, Billericay and Basildon, but they had no answer to Callum Berry who struck a quite brilliant 110 not out from just 59 balls to set Upminster on their way, before Gus Philpot and Ollie Burley picked up two wickets each to help secure a 40 run win.

Sunday's first, but hopefully not last, opponents Bishop's Stortford have also been in excellent form so far in the competition, although they were pushed very closely in two of their group games.  They opened up their campaign with a tie against Harlow, both sides finishing on 169-6, before chasing down a massive 222 with an over to spare to beat Saffron Walden.  They then clinched top spot in their group with a comprehensive 10 wicket win over Colchester and East Essex.  That took the Hertfordshire based club through to a last eight encounter at Chingford where they put in a solid all round performance to win by 40 runs.

Whoever wins the semi final will face Shenfield or Wanstead & Snaresbrook in the final later in the afternoon.  Wanstead are regulars at Finals Day in this competition and overcame near neighbours Ilford in the last eight to make it through to the big day, while Shenfield beat Orsett & Thurrock by 40 runs in their quarter final to earn their place at Garon Park.

Finals Day Timetable
10.00am - Wanstead & Snaresbrook v Shenfield;
1.00pm - Upminster v Bishop's Stortford;
4.15pm - Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2;

Upminster have named a 13 man squad for the big day:

Callum Berry (*)
Ross Taylor (+)
Nathan French
Mit Shah
Stan Moore
Gus Philpot
Oliver Burley
Joshan Narbheram
Jamie Green
Mo Ahmad
Robert Healy
Michael Pedrick
Zoran Suneel

Garon Park is off of the A1159 (Eastern Avenue) at SS2 4FA.  There is a large car park between the sports centre and cricket ground.  The ground is signposted from the car park as the "Peter Butler Oval".  Refreshments will be available from the Pavilion area, and there is also a coffee shop and other refreshments available in the sports centre.