Bourton Vale Vikings and Tewkesbury Royals will step onto the big stage for the showpiece Cheltenham Premier T20 final at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival tomorrow (6pm).

It’s the first time that the final will take place at Cheltenham College and there is plenty of excitement ahead of what promises to be a fascinating clash.

Neither side have won the competition before – Hatherley Hurricanes and Dumbleton Dynamite are the two previous winners – and both teams head to the final in impressive form.

Bourton, playing in the Cheltenham Premier T20 for the first time this season, topped the eight-team group stage, winning six of their seven games before overcoming Hatherley in their only play-off.

Tewkesbury, meanwhile, have won their last four games in the competition – two of them in the play-offs – and also made it through to the T20 WEPL final.

“It’s a big game, we’re excited,” said Bourton captain Darrel Williams. “We’re thrilled to get through to the final after topping the group.

“It’s absolutely wonderful, playing at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival makes it just that bit more special.

“It’s a new experience, we’re very, very excited. There should be a good crowd and we just want to put in a good performance.”

Tewkesbury skipper Louis Whitmore is hoping his side can put in a good performance too, of course, and he is taking confidence from their early-season group game against Bourton, even though they lost by 15 runs after the home side had amassed 183-5.

“They batted pretty well but on our day I think we could have won,” said Whitmore. “We’re pretty confident, the turning point for us in this competition came when we beat Dumbleton in our first play-off game, that gave us momentum.”

Tewkesbury finished fourth in the group stage, winning four and losing three, but they overcame Dumbleton by four wickets after an opening partnership of 103 between Josh Richards (59) and Josh Barnes (55) set them up to go past the home side’s 194-6 with three balls to spare.

Richards was even more impressive in his club’s second play-off against Hatherley last week, hitting an unbeaten 103 from 55 balls to guide his side to victory with five wickets and nine balls remaining.

“He’s really good,” said Whitmore. “He’s won a couple of games on his own for us and that’s exactly what you want from your overseas player.

“He dictates where he want bowlers to bowl to him, he manoeuvres the field. I’d imagine he’d be a nightmare for the opposing captain.

“And he hits the ball so hard, it sounds like a gun shot.”

The South African was dismissed by Williams for 56 in the group game back in May when Bourton’s quickfire start with the bat and strong bowling at the finish saw them home.

Williams’ celebration when he bowled Richards showed just how important his wicket is and the Bourton skipper said: “He’s the danger player, he’s the one everyone wants to get out.

“He’s had a fantastic season, he’s a class act, but we back ourselves as bowlers.”

Left-arm spinner Max Shepherd has been excellent for Bourton this season and Williams added: “He’s a proven, class performer, he has that know-how to get wickets.

“He knows how to bowl on different wickets, he’s a leader.”

Shepherd wasn’t available for their four-wicket play-off win over Hatherley at the start of the month – a performance that Williams said was their best in the competition – but he’ll play tomorrow, as will 17-year-old all-rounder Arthur Hanson, who is in the Sussex academy.

The left-handed batsman, who bowls left-arm spin, will open the innings with Bourton’s overseas player Musa Twala, with Ollie Whitely batting at three.

“Hopefully we can put them under the pump at the start of the innings again,” said Williams.

Tewkesbury play a division above Bourton in the West of England Premier League and Bourton, currently second in the Gloucestershire Division behind Chipping Sodbury, are hoping to join them in Premier 2 Glos/Wilts in 2026.

Tewkesbury were promoted at the end of last season and 21-year-old Whitmore said: “Our sole aim for the previous two seasons was to get out of the Gloucestershire Division.

“We’ve been able to focus on other competitions more this season and the Cheltenham Premier T20 is a good competition.

“It’s well organised and the quality has got better each year. I’ve played for Tewkesbury all my life, I’d be very proud if we beat Bourton.”

Williams will be just as proud if Bourton win, of course, and while he is confident he is not taking anything for granted.

“In short format cricket anything can happen,” he said. “It only takes one player to have a day out with bat or ball.”