The weather gods (possibly in consultation with Mr Leddy himself) had managed to produce an ideal day for cricket, with some warm sunshine and a pleasant, cooling breeze. Bootle won the toss, and on what looked an excellent batting track, decided they'd like to let Formby set a target and invited them to bat.

Phil Baines and Nick Sutton were sent in to open the innings, the former looking to play himself in, having not played a multitude of games this season, and the latter fresh from his 100 in the semi-final. They opened cautiously, the first two overs producing just a couple of wides, and the next two three singles, as Bottle deployed their secret weapon, Billy Smith's accurate off-spin at the Cricket Path end. Sutton got the next off to a good start, hitting the first ball through point for four and taking another, not quite so convincing boundary to fine third man off the second. unfortunately the third broke through and disturbed his leg stump so Formby were 13-1. Michael Booth was off the mark with a two from his second ball, then a leg-side wide went to the boundary to produce a welcome 5 wides, so the over cost a wicket but lifted the total by 15.
Extras surged further ahead with 4 byes in the next over and after 7 overs, the total was a healthy 34-1. the next over dented the effort, though as Booth was adjudged to have got an edge on a ball down the leg side that he clearly thought had brushed only his pad, then, three balls later, Ross Byrom was given out lbw, stretching forward to the right arm over the wicket spin of Billy Smith, who must have produced some sort of doosra for the ball to have pitched on line and continued to hit the stumps! 34-3 was suddenly looking much less healthy, but there was the reassuring figure of Andy Grice making his way to the middle, so no need to panic just yet.
After a couple of byes from his first ball he struck the next back over the bowler's head for 2 to get going, then settled in to consolidate. Baines gradually got the feel of ball on bat and the innings gradually moved forward, reaching 40 from 10 overs and continuing to prosper as Bootle's skipper made his first bowling change at the hockey pitch end, for the 13th over, that one producing 9 runs and the subsequent one from that end 13, as Smith continued his stranglehold for his full 8 overs, finishing with excellent figures of 2-13.
In the meantime the Formby 50 was reached and after 15 overs stood at 70-3. Acceleration came both courtesy of Smith's enforced withdrawal, and Baines's increasing fluency, an - there was a surprising absence of the usual extra entertainment caused by the confusion of having a runner present).
At 100 Baines produced a mishit which appeared to be lobbing safely into the cover until a fine diving catch by Hornby ended his innings - on 40 from 65 balls with 5 fours. This brought to the crease Will Miles, playing his first club match for several years, mainly because of the competition's severe eligibility requirements combined with the unavailability of some players on holiday. He was off the mark from his first ball with a single, then cracked four through cover off the back foot , before being somewhat surprised by a sneaky full-toss that he hit in the air through the mid-wicket fielder, who got his fingertips to it but couldn't hold it as two runs were registered.
After that small scare he moved through the gears, adding 36 with Grice in 6 overs before the latter tried and failed to clear mid-off and was caught for 41 (53 balls, 4 fours) - which would probably have been somewhat fewer had he had to do his own running!
Stephan Pendered replaced Grice and looked to give as much strike to Miles as possible. He responded by sending a couple of ball into the tennis courts in completing his fifty from 45 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes). They added 65 in 51 balls before Pendered was lbw for 12 from 18 balls and the total had passed 200 with Miles on 66 with 4 overs of the innings left.
Andy McMorran took over Pendered's role and he and Miles added 33 to bring the innings to a close on 234-6, with him on 8 not out (10 balls, 1 four) and Miles on a remarkable, and probably match-winning, 91 not out (68 balls, 13 fours, 2 sixes).
An excellent tea followed, after which it was over to the bowlers, who had a decent total to defend. Alex Powell and Matty Baines started off in contrasting ways - Powell with a maiden and Baines feeling the effect of a couple of aggressive blows for four from Hornby as his opening over went for 10. Powell then allowed only a single before hostilities resumed from the Cricket Path end with anpther four and a single from Baines's first two balls. He was unphased by this treatment and immediately responded by bowling Hornby off his pads as he tried to swing the ball to leg, then having the next man caught at the wicket first ball. No 4 avoided the hat-trick, surviving an lbw appeal, but a big blow had been dealt to Bootle's chances and the next couple of overs were played quite cautiously so that after 8 overs Bootle were 28-2. Powell then produced a mistimed drive from opener Cooke, the ball arcing into the vacant mid-wicket area. Sutton made good ground from square leg and, diving forward and to his right, just got his fingers under the ball and clung on - 28-3 was the beginning of the end for the Bootle innings. Baines was rested after 4 overs and replaced by Pendered, who proved just as miserly as Smith had been during the early part of the Formby innings. Powell had 5 overs before David Jump replaced him and immediately started to work his way through the Bootle middle order. He had 'keeper Pierce plumb lbw for 3 to make it 38-4 before Pendered removed the Bootle skipper, Hart for 10 at 41-5. Jump then had Nagle taken in the gully by Phil Baines for a duck (42-6). Sathasivam bravely tried to hit his way out of the hole he found himself in,with a couple of boundaries, but then tried again ad lofted the ball high to deep square leg where Ross Byrom was waiting, and he pouched the catch despite having to look straight into the sun. That made it 54-7 and the game was effectively over.
Sutton had 3 overs for 13 as Smith and Malone looked to take some batting practice, then Booth came on at the Cricket Path end and had a mixed over, starting well by having Malone caught behind for 9 off the third ball, but losing control a little, with a couple of wides and a no ball. As the umpires were beginning to get agitated about Formby's over rate, he was rested in favour of Miles's very short run-up and reasonable accuracy, whilst Powell and Baines were brought back at the hockey pitch end. Powell soon accounted for no.10, Dean, as Phil Baines took his second catch with the total on 96-9, and although Bootle added 19 for their last wicket, it was just a matter of time before the final wicket fell, courtesy of a good throw from Booth to run out Smith for 23, trying for a second run.
Allof the Formby bowlers returned good figures - Jump's 3-20 from 5 overs being the best, followed by 2-17 from 8 overs by Powell, 2-26 from 5.1 by Matty Baines, 1-16 from 8 by Pendered and 1-7 from 1 by Booth. Miles bowled 4 overs for 11.
Formby ran out winners by the big margin of 119 runs, and everyone retired to the pavilion for the presentation of the trophy and mementos, the "Man of the Match" award going to Miles for his match-changing innings. Mike Leddy himself would doubtless be delighted in the result, but equally so in the manner in which both sides approached the match, which was played in the full spirit of Cricket.