Northern demolished Kimberley Institute on their own patch to reach the ECB National Club Championship final for the first time since 2015.

There were individual stand-outs – captain James Cole made a punchy 50, supported by Alex Vincent, to lift the total to 241/8, and Tom Sephton and Josh Thompson claimed three wickets each.

But this was a triumph of the collective, an example of teamwork making the dream work.

Now the side Cole has built have the chance to write their names into history by becoming the first Love Lane Liverpool Competition side to lift the trophy, when they face Brentwood in Worcester on September 15.

Going by the evidence of this performance, you wouldn’t bet against them.

In particular, the power play bowling of Sephton and Liam Grey was exceptional. 

After eight dot balls to start, Grey’s ninth was wafted through to Cole by George Bacon; Sephton struck twice in the next over to remove Akhil Patel and captain Dom Brown.

The veteran left-arm spinner plunged to his right to hold a return catch off Jack Nightingale off the last ball of the eighth over; seconds later, Tyler McGladdery repeated his one-stump run-out trick from the quarter-final against Ormskirk to remove Martin Weightman for a diamond duck.

At 17/5, the game was as good as done. Greg Du Plooy and Harry Ratcliffe rebuilt with a stand of 86 but they were always well behind the rate and Thompson mopped up, having David Lucas held by Jac Kennedy to spark wild celebrations from the players and travelling supporters.

Director of cricket Chris Laker’s contribution was typical – 26 off 18 balls at the top of the order, followed by 2/29.

He said: “Everyone chipped in. 

“They’re a good side, on their own ground – it’s a small ground compared to Northern, so we had to adapt our game quite a lot. 

“The lads did really well to set them a run a ball, and then Tom and Liam really hit their straps in the power play. 

“Things went our way from then on, really.”

Northern have plenty of individual match-winners in their ranks, including Laker, whose century against Ormskirk got them to this stage.

But winning without an individual leading the way puts them in a position of greater strength – they won’t head to New Road hoping for that one player to come off.

Laker added: “To win a competition like this, you’re not going to do it relying on three, four or five players.

“You need a whole squad ready to stand up at different points of the season – whether it’s your number nine getting an important 20, or your fifth or sixth bowler getting a three-for, or a piece of fielding. 

“It’s those moments that everyone works for, it’s why we train hard and play the games we do.”

With a closer than usual title race entering its final lap, and a spot in the regional final of the National T20 Cup as well, Northern are competing on three fronts.

Laker hopes they can use it to their advantage as the season comes to an thrilling conclusion.

“This is why players come to play here,” he said. “We’ve got three winnable competitions and it’s a really exciting time.

“This win has given us a real confidence boost.”

An unbeaten 90 from just 58 balls by Jason Login sent holders Rainford cantering into their second consecutive Ray Digman Trophy final on Sunday with a comprehensive win over Wigan.

Login hit 13 fours and three sixes in his onslaught; the next highest score among his teammates was 27 and the hosts’ target of 138 was reached in just 20.3 overs.

Earlier, Charlie Taylor made 52 for the visitors but found no support as home skipper John Dotters took 5/18 to leave their innings in tatters. 

Rainford will defend their trophy against the winners of Ormskirk and Formby, who meet on Bank Holiday Monday.

Ormskirk kept hold of top spot in the ECB Premier Division with a thumping win at Wallasey.

Only two home batters made double figures as Jamie Barnes took 4/13; George Politis’s 50 took the visitors to their target of 80 inside 19 overs.

Northern chased 160 to beat a spirited Rainford side by three wickets and keep up the pressure in what is shaping up to be an excellent title race. Tyler McGladdery top-scored with 67.

Karl Brown’s unbeaten 116 led Leigh to an eight-wicket win over troubled Birkenhead Park. His opening stand of 160 with Tom Grundy did the bulk of the work chasing down 193.

New Brighton are all but doomed after their seven-wicket defeat at Rainhill. Billy Godleman finished on 57 after captain Jamie Harrison took 5/44 to dismiss the Rakers for 131.

The second relegation spot looks like being between Birkenhead Park and Southport & Birkdale, after the latter slipped to a four-wicket defeat at Wigan. Matt Critchley took 6/41 in his first outing of the season to restrict the visitors to 139.

Newton-le-Willows were reduced to 27/7 by Formby openers George Burrows and Junaid Farooq; they recovered slightly in pursuit of 145, but not nearly enough.

Firwood Bootle chased a massive 308 to beat Maghull by three wickets and enter the home straight of the season with promotion within their grasp in Division One.

Hermann Rolfes was once again the match-winner, making an unbeaten 123 off 72 balls, after Lachlan Fryer’s 102* and Greg Gillespie’s 94 had set an imposing target.

Colwyn Bay held on to second place with a comfortable win at Old Xaverians, with Dulanjana Mendis taking 7/18 after Zack Gidlow top-scored with 65.

Sam Rotherham’s 5/31 helped Highfield record a comfortable win at Sefton Park.

Luke Prescott made his second century in just three games since coming back from a serious injury, as Orrell Red Triangle beat St Helens Town; Mark Waddington made 84 and Duvindu Tillakaratne took 6/40.

Bottom side Fleetwood Hesketh came agonisingly close at Liverpool, but fell just 14 runs short of their hosts’ 117. Ross Allen’s 6/41 was decisive, after Daniel O’Keefe claimed 5/43.

Lytham’s Edward Fiddler top-scored in their win over Spring View.

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Sutton are the new leaders of Division Two after a four-run win over Northop Hall. Cronje Van Greunen claimed the last wicket with the Welsh side just a shot away – James Hurlin took 7/46 to dismiss the St Helens side for 171.

Former leaders Hightown St Marys slipped to a 22-run defeat against Alder.

Prestatyn moved off the bottom, leapfrogging Whitefield thanks to a 35-run win. Adam Tidswell took 5/51 after Ben Hughes’ half-century.

Norley Hall’s Daniel Fisher made 137 to set up their win over Ainsdale; Caldy’s Amruth Devaraj was the star with the bat as they beat Southport Trinity; and Parkfield Liscard beat Wavertree thanks to 6/26 from Jehan Yahathugoda.