There have been 28 ECHO Cups played since Neston’s only win, 31 years ago. They were the ninth unique winners in 19 competitions – since then, five clubs have shared them all.

This year will be different. The “big five” have fallen by the wayside.

Hosts Upton did for Chester Boughton Hall, Newton-le-Willows accounted for holders Ormskirk, Birkenhead Park beat Firwood Bootle then saw Northern forced to drop out due to a fixture pile-up, while Wallasey fell foul of local rivals New Brighton.

Cheshire County League side Neston spoiled the symmetry by routing the Rakers to join the other conquerors at Sunday’s finals day. 

And as the only ECB Premier Division side to make it, captain Dane Williams thinks they have what it takes to party like it’s 1992, in a format which has changed cricket forever since then.

Williams said: “T20 is the way the game is going.

“It’s great to be involved in the competitions and it’s what everyone wants to play.

“We tend to play our best cricket in the T20s, and it’s where we see our strengths.

“The lads see it as the way forwards – you go out there to give it a whack and see where it goes, there’s not really much emphasis on batting the overs.

“It’s quite a simple way of playing cricket and it suits us down to the ground.”

To reach finals day, the Shrimpers chased 144 in 14 overs to beat Parkfield Liscard, then saw off Sutton before skittling New Brighton for just 68 in the quarter-final.

Opening bowler Ash Davies brings 14 years of 1st XI experience to the table, while Williams is expecting top order fireworks from Simon Stokes.

The skipper added: “We’ve all got that buzz back for big game cricket. 

“These moments only really come along every couple of years for us, so it’s going to be a tough day but everyone’s up for it.”

Newton skipper Chris Chambers is hoping finals day can help keep the momentum going as his side seeks an immediate return to the top flight of the Love Lane Liverpool Competition.

His side sit top of Division One, nearing the business end of a season in which they’ve had a point to prove after last year’s contentious relegation.

He said: “I’ve not forgotten – we feel we should still be playing Premier Division cricket.

“Getting back there was the aim at the start of the season and that’s not changed.

“But if we can have a good day out on Sunday, that will hopefully snowball for the next few weeks.”

Newton will be without Lancashire pair Tom Aspinwall and Jack Morley, away on county duty in the Royal London One-Day Cup, and Naomi Dattani, who is representing Trent Rockets in the Hundred. 

But Chambers is happy with the group of players at his disposal as he looks to bring home some silverware.

He added: “We’ve not used Jack or Tom a lot in the T20 – it’s been a lot of local lads, with some youngsters and second-teamers. 

“So we’ve done well with that team.

“We know if we play our best cricket, we’ll have a good chance of doing well.”

Newton are the only semi-finalists to have beaten two top-flight sides in the competition. Prized opener Ben Walkden hit 47 off 14 balls to tee up a 38-run win over Rainhill, before they defended 15 off the last two overs to earn a two-run triumph over Ormskirk, setting up a quarter-final against Hightown St Marys.

Chambers said it’s refreshing to see some different names taking centre stage, adding: “I think it’s a good thing for the competition that you’ve not just got the same teams on finals day every year. 

“Obviously, I feel for Northern’s situation. But in another way it shows there’s some good clubs out there.”

Upton face Birkenhead Park at 10am, with the second semi between Newton-le-Willows and Neston at 1.15pm and the final at 4pm.