Durant Cricket NCCA Championship: Week 1 - Preview

Buckinghamshire have included two potential debutants in their squad for the opening match in their defence of the Durant Cricket National Counties Championship title againstLincolnshire at Sleaford which starts on Sunday.

Louis Gulliver, an 18-year-old all-rounder from Stony Stratford, and Vanish Jani, a 19-year-old batter from Richmond, have both impressed playing for the county’s Second XI this season.

They feature in the senior squad for the first time for the Eastern Division One match because AJ Woodland is unavailable due to work commitments and Michael Payne is ruled out by a broken finger.

Batter Michael Wells, who has been in form for Stony Stratford this season, returns to Buckinghamshire for the first time in two years and Northamptonshire Academy batter Aadi Shami – another 18-year-old - is available, having made his maiden century in last season’s final victory over Devon.

Sharma is one of eight survivors from that match in Sunday’s squad with Cam Hemp, who played for Wales NC last season, set for his Championship debut for Buckinghamshire.

Lincolnshire are missing the injured Mark Footitt, the former Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Surrey left-arm quick, but have called up batter Savraj Nijjar for his seasonal debut and his Scunthorpe Town club-mate Tom Shephard for his Championship bow.

James Kettleborough will captain Staffordshireagainst his former county Bedfordshire at his home club, Checkley.

It will be the first time that Kettleborough and slow left-armer Tom Brett faced Bedfordshire since they switched counties last year.

Longton seamer Jacob Garlick, who has been playing Second XI cricket for Warwickshire, will make his National Counties debut for his native county.

Bedfordshire return to Eastern Division One after a two-year absence having won the Division Two title last season.

Devon, last season’s beaten finalists and Western Division One champions, begin their campaign against Berkshire, the 2022 national champions, at the North Devon club in Instow.

Devon are missing Jamie Stephens, their red ball captain, who is injured having slipped in the field during last week’s National Counties Trophy quarter-final defeat by Cheshire.

James Horler will lead the side in Stephens’s absence but batter Ben Beaumont – one of six survivors from last season’s final side – returns from injury.

Seamer Matt Skeemer is unavailable but Exeter University batter Charlie Sharland and all-rounder Lawrence Walker will make their Championship debuts.

Berkshire are missing batter Archie Carter, who is unavailable this weekend because of work commitments.

Former Middlesex batter/wicketkeeper Dan O’Driscoll and slow left-armer Adam Searle will make their seasonal competitive debuts with O’Driscoll taking over behind the stumps from captain Dan Lincoln.

Cornwall, last season’s Western Division Two winners, host Oxfordshire at Helston in their first match in Division One and the first Championship fixture at Beacon Park in 30 years.

Former Kent all-rounder Alex Blake returns for Cornwall and Camborne’s 18-year-old off-spinner Alfie MacDonald will make his first appearance of the season in place of the injured Ellis Whiteford.

Off-spinner Max Mannering will captain Oxfordshire for the first time following his appointment as their red ball captain.

Mannering has succeeded slow left-armer Ollie Clarke who has stepped down after just one season in charge of the Championship team.

Mannering will lead a side that includes four Championship debutants in Tom Davis, Hayden and Tristan Rossouw and leg-spinner Henry Welch.

Wicketkeeper Freddie Smith makes his first county appearance in two years and seamer Tommy Rex his first of the season.

Durham team-mates Mitchell Killeen and Stan McAlindon will become opponents in the Eastern Division Two match between Northumberlandand Cumbria at Jesmond.

Killeen, the son of England fast bowling coach Neil, will make his National Counties debut for the hosts with McAlindon one of two newcomers in Cumbria’s side.

Oliver Spedding (Carlisle) will also make his debut with Reece Irving (Netherfield) and Penrith wicketkeeper Alistair Gray set for their first Championship appearances.

Hertfordshire have named three debutants in their side for their opener againstCambridgeshire at Peterborough.

Ben Clifford, an opening batter who plays his club cricket for Chelmsford along with Hertfordshire captain Ben Waring, Leverstock Green all-rounder Troy Henry and Leo Davis, a batter/wicketkeeper from Totteridge Millhillians, are joined by former Derbyshire seamer Archie Harrison who will make his Championship debut.

Herefordshire have named two current Worcestershire batters, Henry Cullen and Rehaan Edavalath, in their side for their seasonal debuts against Wiltshire at Corsham in Western Division Two.

Former Leicestershire batter Nat Bowley, who plays his club cricket for Ombersley in the Birmingham & District Premier League, has been called up for his National Counties debut.

Chippenham-raised seamer Stanley Brown, a former Gloucestershire Academy player who now plays for Bradford/Leeds UCCE and Bradford League club Farsley, will make his National Counties debut for Wiltshire.

Goatacre wicketkeeper Toby Kershaw has been recalled after a two-year absence, seamer Chris Aubrey will make his seasonal debut and Ben Higton his first appearance in the competition.

Another former Worcestershire batter, Olly Westbury, will captain Shropshire for the first time against Dorset at the St George’s club in Oakengates.

Westbury steps up from vice-captain as skipper Charlie Home is unavailable due to exam commitments.

Worfield slow left-armer Matt Rees will make his seasonal debut with Shrewsbury all-rounder Peter Clark recalled but Jacques Banton’s three-day debut has been delayed as the former Worcestershire all-rounder is unavailable.

Dorset’s squad includes two debutants in off-spinner Louis Prichard, the son of their former coach and ex-Essex captain Paul, and Harry Dunlop.

Seamer Matt Burton, a regular in Dorset’s white ball side this season, will make his first Championship appearance in two years.

Durant Cricket National Couties Championship

July 7-9 (11am)

Eastern Division One

Sleaford: Lincolnshire v Buckinghamshire. Checkley: Staffordshire v Bedfordshire.

Western Division One

Helston: Cornwall v Oxfordshire. Instow (North Devon CC): Devon v Berkshire.

Eastern Division Two

Peterborough: Cambridgeshire v Hertfordshire. Jesmond: Northumberland v Cumbria.

Western Division Two

Oakengates (St George’s CC): Shropshire v Dorset. Corsham: Wiltshire v Herefordshire.

📸 Roger Bryne