Not since the days of the Mangers of Tiddington in the late 1980s, have three brothers played in the Oxfordshire final of the National Village Championship - until last Sunday (June 22) that is.

Alan Tilley and sons Ed, Richard and James

The Mangers are now joined in the competition folklore by the Tilleys, three of whom played for Warborough and Shillingford at home to Shipton-under-Wychwood.

Richard Tilley, the eldest at 32, and fellow all-rounders Ed, 31, and James, 29, all took wickets during their side's 24-run defeat by the reigning national champions.

And they were so nearly joined in the side by their 60-year-old father Alan, who had played alongside his sons in a previous rounds.

But his role as wicket-keeper went to club secretary Martyn Johnson.

So Alan, club chairman of the club, took over 12th man duties.

He joined the club 26 years ago, while his sons all played their first games of cricket on Warborough's delightful ground, before going on to Abingdon School.

Although all three sons turned out for North Abingdon and then Abingdon Vale CC, their only cricket these days is for Warborough, who just play friendlies on Sundays.

In the end, their lack of regular competitive cricket showed against Shipton,who know how to win tight games.

Their next stop on the road to a second successive trip to Lord's is a home tie with Gloucestershire champions Dumbleton on Sunday, July 6 in the round of the last 32.