Image taken by:

Norfolk won the NCCA Dojo T20 for the first time by beating Dorset by 12 runs in a tense final at Wormsley.

Norfolk’s success followed their triumph in the 50-overs National Counties Trophy 12 months ago and was achieved without their captain and talisman Sam Arthurton who was ruled out of both the final and semi-final victory over Oxfordshire at the start of the day after he suffered an ankle injury playing club cricket on Saturday.

Ben Wilcox led Norfolk with calm assurance in Arthurton’s absence and played a key role in the final, just as he had in the Trophy showpiece last season.

Then Wilcox made a match-winning century in a run chase against Cheshire. Here his 73 helped Norfolk to 152 for six which always looked a competitive total on a pitch that was being used for the third time in the day.

For a time it looked Dorset would add the T20 title to the Trophy which they won last month as openers Will Tripcony and Finn Gordon reduced the target by 38 inside four overs.

But Norfolk held their nerve and gradually throttled Dorset’s chase. From 60 for one, Dorset slipped to 85 for six with seamers Callum Metcalf (two for 16)and Brett Stolworthy (three for 14), backed by smart fielding, applying the pressure.

When captain Luke Webb was bowled by off-spinner Hamidullah Qadri for 17 Norfolk had one hand on the trophy and although Mo Abbas kept Dorset in the game by making 26 not out, Joe Everett bowled a tight final over to seal the win.

“It’s brilliant for Ben Wilcox getting a hundred in the final last year and 73 here today is brilliant,” said Norfolk coach Tom New.

“Losing Sam was a setback. Everyone knows he’s a huge player for us not only as a batter but as a captain so for the lads to step up, take responsibility and win the game how they did was all credit to them.

“We all said that if we could get 150 or above then we would be in the game if we bowled and kept our plans together so we were very confident of defending that.

“Callum Metcalf and Brett Stolworthy coming on and bowling as they did was exceptional. It’s something we talk about in team meetings, staying focused and getting the job done.

“To win two trophies in two years is fantastic. Having won the 50 overs last season everyone was gunning for us as I’m sure they will be in this competition next year.

“We’ve worked hard on our white ball cricket over the last 18 months. It’s something that we knew we needed to improve on as a group. We have done that, the lads have taken feedback on board and that has come to fruition today.”

Dorset’s defeat denied them the chance to complete a white ball double after beating Shropshire in the Trophy final last month but they are still in the hunt for promotion in the NCCA Cluberly Championship.

“We didn’t field and bowl as well as we did in the first game. In that game we were really clinical with bat, ball and in the field,” said Dorset Head Coach Paul Lawrence.

“We just lost wickets at crucial times. Losing Joe Eckland quite early was a big blow.

“But credit to Norfolk they bowled really well through the back end of the powerplay and there were eight crucial overs where we lost wickets.

“But we have had an awesome season. If you would have said to us at the start of the season that we would win a trophy, be runners up in another competition and be in with a chance of being promoted in the three-day competition we would have bitten your hand off.”

After three washouts prevented last season’s Finals Day from producing a winner, this year’s was played in blissful sunshine and in front of a large crowd at a picture perfect venue.

All four sides contributed to a day of high quality cricket, in particular some exceptional catching and ground fielding.

Semi-finals

In the first semi-final Freddie Fairey’s 54 from 24 balls at the top of the order proved decisive for Norfolk in their ten runs victory over Oxfordshire, who won the competition in 2022.

They were 84 for three in the eighth over when Fairey lifted slow left-armer Tom Hinley to long-off but then barely doubled their total in the last 12 overs of the innings as Oxfordshire’s spinners applied the brakes.

A target of 168 looked within Oxfordshire’s range but their innings comprised a series of cameos with eight batters making double figures but no-one topping Freddie Smith’s 26.

Seamer Joe Everett , who impressed in their Super-12s matches at Moddershall, was again the pick of Norfolk’s attack with three for 33 including two nerveless overs at the death.

Dorset’s progress to the final was more straightforward as they beat Northumberland, making their first appearance at Finals Day, by 40 runs in the second semi-final.

Joe Eckland’s competition-best 79 from 47 balls laid solid foundations but Dorset lost seven wickets for 33 after Eckland gave slow left-armer Joe Stuart a return catch. Four of those wickets - including a run out - went down in Calum Fletcher’s final over of the innings.

Seamer Fletcher finished with four for 26 which restricted Dorset to 168 for nine, just one run more than Norfolk made in the opening match.

Northumberland would have fancied their chances at the halfway stage of the match but they were unable to build any momentum against excellent disciplined bowling from Dorset.

Alasdair Appleby departed in the opening over when he pulled a full toss – which he clearly thought was above waist height – to deep midwicket and their chase progressed in fits and starts.

Ross Whitfield and Harry Crawshaw, two former Durham batters, played positively but fell when well set and dangerman John Oswell holed out to deep midwicket from his first aggressive stroke.

Currie, a T20 specialist with Sussex, returned to mop up the tail and send Dorset through to their second T20 final.

NCCA Dojo T20 Finals Day

Wormsley

First semi-final; Norfolk 167-7 (Freddie Fairey 54), Oxfordshire 157-8 (Joe Everett 3-33) Norfolk won by 10 runs .

Second semi-final: Dorset 168-9 (Joe Eckland 79, Dylan Church 35, Calum Fletcher 4-26), Northumberland 128 (Ross Whitfield 33). Dorset won by 40 runs.

Final: Norfolk 152-6 (Ben Wilcox 73, Mo Abbas 3-24), Dorset 140-7 (Brett Stolworthy 3-14). Norfolk won by 12 runs.