By Jon Steer
June 19 2003

Durham UCCE went one better than last year and held off a strong challenge by Exeter University to win the British Universities championship at the Rose Bowl on Sunday. After finishing top of the BUSA premier league ahead of rival UCCEs Loughborough, Cambridge and Bradford/Leeds with an unbeaten record Sunday saw Durham complete the season in style winning the knockout championship final against Exeter University.

Playing at the Rose Bowl, home of Hamshire Circket Club, Durham lost the toss and were put in to bat by Exeter. Hawk and Smith top scored for Durham with 73 and 62 respectively in a total of 251-7. A good total, but by all accounts the wicket was a good one and full of runs.

Exeter started their reply well and at 122-1 were looking in control. But then Durham struck and reduced Exeter to 133-6. Exeter were finally dismissed for 191, 60 runs short of their target. Louden was the pick of the Durham bowlers, finishing with 3-37 from his ten overs.

The win is particularly welcome for Durham after the disappointment of just losing out to Loughborough in the final last year.

This completes a double for the UCCE whose women won the BUSA Women's Cricket Championship last week when they beat Brighton by 123 runs.