Winning captain Charlie Mitchell with the Brockman Cup after Abbots win in the 2016 final

ABBOTSKERSWELL II will be aiming to win back the Brockman Cup when they take on Brixham in Friday night’s final at Torquay Recreation Ground. (6pm)

Hopes were high of an Abbots’ hat-trick of wins in 2017 after they had lifted the cup in 2016 and 2015.

Those hopes were dashed in the first round when Ipplepen handed out a 95-run hiding to their near neighbours.

Paignton III went on to beat Stokeinteignhead in last season’s final. Paignton fell in this season’s quarter-final to Babbacombe, who won a last-ball thriller at Walls Hill by four wickets.

Abbots breezed through this season’s  first round with a nine-wicket win at South Brent.

Charlie Smout-Cooper (4-10) helped send Brent to 66 all out. Paul Mitchell’s unbeaten 52 off 31 balls settled it in Abbots’ favour.

Holly Perkin - first lady player to appear in a Brockman Cup finalRevenge was extracted over Ipplepen in round two in the shape of an eight-wicket win at Moor Lane.

Elliott Adams took five wickets for 11 runs as Pens were bowled out for 101. Paul Lightowlers’ 53 off 29 balls put Abbots en-route to victory in the 11thover.

Standing between Abbots and the final were Babbacombe II, who had Marcus Thompson (39) and Seb Loram (26) to thank for the bulk of their 108 for six.

Charlie Smout-Cooper (38) made early inroads into the target, then Toby Lovell (16) and captain Adams (25no) wrapped things up.

Brixham last won the Brockman Cup in 2007 when Chris Sleep (40) and Richard Ward (27) steered them to a six-wicket win over Kingskerswell.

Since then Brixham have been back twice in 2008 and 2010 and lost to Paignton both times.

The path to the final started with a  75-run win over Stokeinteignhead, who were bowled out for 41 by Tom Stephenson (5-9) chasing 117 to win.

Sam Champness took four for six and there were three wickets each for Rhys Dallow and Tom Blundell as Shaldon were dismissed for 55 in round two and beaten by eight wickets.

Semi-final opponents Torquay were beaten by eight wickets in a far more competitive affair.

Nathan Way (49) and Connor Ashworth (33) helped Brixham reach 133 for four.

Neal Osborn (29), Ben Passenger (26) and Anthony Nadar (21) got Torquay to 121 for three when time ran out.

Brixham's team includes county standard all-rounder Holly Perkin, who will be the first female cricketer to appear in a Brockman Cup final in the 86-year history of the competition.

FRIDAY NIGHT LINE-UPS

Abbotskerswell: C Smout-Cooper, P Lightowlers, E Smout-Cooper, E Adams, S Carpenter, P Mitchell, A Lightowlers, I Jarman, D Cowdry, T Heath, G Catley, N Bain.

Brixham: A Edwards, N Way, R Dallow, T Blundell, S Bullock, M Coysh, S Champness, D Perkin, H Perkin, R Champness, T Stephenson, W Small.

Umpires: B Goldsmith, M Pitman. Scorers: N Adams, M Smith, B Dawe. Man of the match adjudicator: K Wakeham (Ipplepen CC).