Cardiff UCCE has been crowned BUCS National Champions after a dominant victory over Loughborough on Friday (4 July 2025) at Wormsley, capping off a phenomenal summer for university cricket in South Wales.
Cardiff UCCE is one of only five University Centres of Cricketing Excellence in the UK and is delivered through a unique partnership between Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff University, the University of South Wales (USW), and Glamorgan County Cricket Club. The programme provides a high-performance environment for student athletes, blending elite sport with academic achievement.
Cardiff UCCE batted first, racking up an impressive 296, led by a brilliant century from Tommy Boorman (Cardiff Met student), who top scored with 124 runs. He was well supported by skipper Nic Halstead-Cleak (Cardiff University student), who added 55 runs, with the pair sharing a 111-run partnership to put Cardiff in control early.
With the pressure on, the bowling unit delivered. Cardiff UCCE bowled Loughborough out for 217, sealing the win by 79 runs with 8.4 overs to spare. Standout performances came from Christopher Cole (Cardiff Met), who took 4-72, and Lewys Luntley, who added 3 wickets to close out the match.
The result caps off an incredible summer for Cardiff-based university cricket, following both Cardiff Metropolitan University and Cardiff University reaching the BUCS National Trophy final last month, where the Archers overcame Cardiff University by 4 wickets in a very close encounter. This latest win further highlights the strength, depth, and ambition of the sport across South Wales.
In the last two years alone, 11 players from the Cardiff Met Cricket programme and 9 from Cardiff University have secured professional contracts across the UK, underlining its role as a key talent pipeline for the domestic game.
Ben O'Connell, Director of Sport at Cardiff Met, said: "This is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through genuine collaboration. The UCCE success shows how committed we all are to creating an elite, supportive environment for student athletes. Winning a national title is a huge moment for cricket in South Wales."
Stuart Vanstone, Head of Sport at Cardiff University, said: "The Cardiff UCCE, working alongside Glamorgan CCC has been at the forefront of Higher Education performance cricket since the inception of the programme. Many of our former players have gone on to have successful county and international careers.
"The squad have had a great season, and their success is a testament to their commitment and hard work."
