NCCA Counties

Norfolk CCC made it 3 wins from 3 matches and qualified for the NCCA NV Play Trophy 50 over Quarter Finals with one game to go after a comfortable 76 run win away to Lincolnshire CCC. Captain Sam Arthurton won the toss and elected to bat first however it was Arthurton who fell early LBW for 1. Ben Wilcox joined Freddie Fairey and the pair had taken the score onto 52 before Wilcox was caught on the deep square leg boundary for 17. The third wicket partnership between Fairey and Alfie Cooper was key for Norfolk, the pair putting on 113 runs. Cooper ran the fielders ragged playing shots all around the ground before he was out LBW for 69 from 66 balls. Fairey played an innings of great maturity and was the back bone of the innings before he was caught for an excellent 81. Charlie Hood then hit 51 from 41 balls at the end of the innings and was out caught on the very last ball as Norfolk posted 257 all out. In their reply Lincolnshire lost their captain Nick Keast without scoring, caught by Fairey off the bowling of Brett Stolworthy. The hosts then rebuilt and were scoring well before Callum Metcalf came on and took the wicket of Gosnell for 33. James Laud hit 9 fours before he holed out to deep square leg off Nathan Muggeridge for 45. Lincolnshire continued to score close to the required run rate but kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Metcalf claimed his second, Andy Hanby claimed a brace, Arthur Wilcox with one and the pick was Hamidullah Qadri with 3 for 26 from his 6.4 overs. Pranav Pothula finished 53 not out for the hosts but ran out of partners as Lincolnshire were all out for 181 from 37.4 overs.