Birthday treat would be just the ticket for Griffith

Frank Griffith will be 36 on Sunday and has only one present on his birthday wish list - a ticket to the final of the Evening Standard Challenge Trophy.

The former Derbyshire all-rounder, who collected a Benson & Hedges Cup winner's medal at Lord's in 1993, is a key member of the Winchmore Hill side taking on Hainault & Clayhall in the semi-finals of the 50-over event which features the London area's leading 108 clubs. The winners will line up against Finchley or High Wycombe, both former champions, at the Shenley on 12 September.

Griffith's captain, Andy Varley, said: "Frank has the pedigree after playing nearly 10 seasons of county cricket. He's a technician with the ball, getting it to swing both ways and move off the seam, and he can be very destructive with the bat."

Griffith has been cricket coach at Chigwell School since leaving Derbyshire in 1997. His proteges include Zoheb Sharif and Ravinder Bopara, two of Essex's brightest prospects.