Sunday will see the 1st XI head to Billericay CC for the Dukes Essex League T20 Finals Day hoping to claim the title for the first in the competition’s history. It will be the first time the club have appeared at Finals Day since 2018. While the club have never claimed the Essex League T20 crown, they do have an enviable record in the competition overall. Sunday will be the sixth time since 2007 that they have made Finals Day at Billericay, and the seventh time they have made it to the semi final stage in total.

The club’s first appearance at the showpiece event was in 2007 under the captaincy of Ollie Peck, in a season which would end with promotion to the Premier Division of Essex cricket for the first time. Upminster lined up against Shenfield in their morning semi final, and despite restricting their opponents to 132-5 the reply never got going, and although Steve Wright made 30, they missed out on a place in the final by just three runs.

Upminster returned to Billericay in 2010, and this time they squared up to Buckhurst Hill, who included current Upminster batter Ian Russell in their side. Once again, a below par performance saw the team miss out at the semi final stage, but they went one step better in 2012. Bad weather during the first part of the 2012 summer had led to a number of games being delayed or called off, and this meant there was no Finals Day itself. However, Upminster did make it all the way to the final of the competition, which took place at Gallows Corner during the London 2012 Olympics. In a low scoring contest against Brentwood, Upminster narrowly missed out as John Walford saw his side to the tightest of victories.

Upminster returned to Finals Day the next season, 2013, after coming through a lengthy qualifying process. The group stage of the competition saw Ollie Peck’s side overcome Stanford Le Hope, Leigh On Sea, Southend On Sea, Benfleet and Hadleigh & Thundersley to set up a quarter final at Fives & Heronians. Farid Butt top scored and the captain picked up three wickets as Upminster breezed through to the showpiece event at Billericay. Unfortunately, it was a similar story to previous visits though, as Nick Prowting and Matt Thurston made half centuries for Chelmsford, and their total of 170-3 proved way too much for Peck’s men, despite 29 from Nick O’Dell.

It was four years (2017) before Upminster would make it through to the last four again, but this time they finally broke their Finals Day hoodoo. Having seen off Colchester & East Essex in the last eight to reach Billericay, Upminster faced old friends and rivals Hornchurch in the morning semi final. Shahbaz Butt (50) and Alan Ison (76*) showed their class, flaying the bowling all around the ground to help their side pile up 190-3 from 20 overs. John Curtis picked up a wicket in the first over of the Hornchurch reply, and although Ronnie Saunders made an excellent 67, three wickets for Louis Pickering helped Upminster to a 45 run win. Their hopes of glory were dashed in the final though as Wanstead & Snaresbrook proved to powerful and claimed a comfortable victory.

The club returned to Finals Day 12 months later, but it was disappointment once again as they were heavily beaten by Colchester & East Essex. Upminster were bowled out for just 60 and Colchester cruised to a seven wicket win in just nine overs.

In recent years qualification for the competition itself has been limited to the top 16 sides in the league structure from the previous season, meaning Upminster have not always been involved. Last season the club beat Orsett & Thurrock at their qualification day before losing to Chelmsford and missing out on Finals Day, but this season the roles were reversed with Upminster beating Hadleigh & Thundersley in their morning contest before overcoming Chelmsford in the afternoon to book their place at Finals Day for the first time in eight years.

Upminster will face Loughton in their morning semi final at Billericay, and Loughton promise to be tough opposition having overcome Wanstead & Snaresbrook at their qualifying day. Whoever wins that tie will face Billericay or Brentwood in the final later in the day.

There are a number of big games taking place tomorrow involving the club including a crucial Matchplay contest, the Women’s 1st XI looking to stay in the title race at Woodford Wells and the Sunday League side taking on London Desperados at Upminster Park. However, it would be great to see as many members, Vice Presidents, junior players and parents as possible at Billericay to support the side, and full details on arrangements for the day can be found here.