Durant Cricket NCCA Championship: Week 4, Day 1 Review

Cornwall seamer Will MacVicar returned the best bowling figures against Devon in 40 years on an eventful opening day of their Durant Cricket National Counties Championship Western Division One match Truro.

The Kent-based all-rounder took eight for 46 to dismiss Devon for 120 in their first innings in a day in which 22 wickets tumbled.

MacVicar’s figures were the best against Devon since India Test all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath took nine for 42 against them for Wiltshire at Salisbury in 1984. They were also Cornwall’s best against Devon since David Halfyard’s eight for 27 at Camborne in 1974 and the county’s best in three-day cricket.

MacVicar ended the day with ten wickets in the match – and with power to add - having dismissed openers Ben Privett and James Horler at the start of Devon’s second innings.

Although Devon fought back to dismiss Cornwall for 171 they ended the day still 22 adrift and facing a battle to avoid a second straight defeat.

Only two batters topped 30 in the day with former Kent all-rounder Alex Blake making 48 in Cornwall’s first innings and Matt Thompson 36 for Devon.

Berkshire slow left-armer Luke Beaven was quickly back into a familiar routine with a five wicket haul on his seasonal debut against Cheshire at Nantwich.

Beaven missed the first three months of the season having suffered a badly broken finger in an accident at work over the winter.

But it was not long before he was among the wickets, taking five for 73 as Cheshire lost their last six wickets for 41 and were dismissed for 287.

Sam Perry made 102 of that total with support from debutant Luke McCoy (47) and Cheshire captain Harry Dearden (40).

But Berkshire, who were heavily beaten on their previous visit to Nantwich two years ago despite Beaven taking nine wickets in the match, slipped to 48 for five at the start of their first innings with Luke Young taking three of the wickets.

Rhodri Lewis, with 38 not out, stabilised the innings and steered Berkshire to 104 for five at the close.

Michael Hill and Sam Atkinson shared a Staffordshire record seventh wicket partnership against Lincolnshire at Cleethorpes in Eastern Division One.

Their partnership surpassed the 179 that Nick Archer – now Staffordshire President and NCCA Chairman – and Paul Newman put on against Northumberland at Jesmond in 1994.

Hill’s 166 not out was his highest Championship score and Warwickshire Academy prospect Atkinson’s 86 was also a career-best having made just 47 runs in his previous four innings in the competition.

With a half-century from Callum Hawkins, Staffordshire recovered from 51 for four to 386 for seven which Lincolnshire reduced by 68 for loss of Joe Pocklington and Drew Sylvester.

Former Staffordshire batter Sam Kelsall made it two centuries in as many matches for Bedfordshire against Suffolk at Bury St Edmunds.

Kelsall made 116 and shared a third wicket stand of 151 with former Hampshire opener Oli Soames, whose 104 was his first in the competition.

Suffolk pegged Bedfordshire back, dismissing them for 353, thanks to off-spinner Tom Harper who claimed a career-best seven for 55 in his just his fourth Championship outing.

An early finish is in prospect at Jesmond where 24 wickets went down in the day with Northumberland in control against Norfolk in Eastern Division Two.

Seamer Matt Oswell improved his career-best bowling figures in successive matches to dismiss Norfolk for 89 in their first innings.

Half-centuries from Seb Allison – his first in the competition – Ali Appleby and Nikhil Gorantla gave Northumberland a lead of 193 before Norfolk slipped to 79 for four second time around.

Solid batting down the order, including a half-century on debut for Harpenden’s Scott Galloway, helped Hertfordshire to 355 against Cumbria at Netherfield.

Dominic Chatfield and Ben Clifford also topped 50 with slow left-armer Freddie Fallows taking four wickets for Cumbria who closed on 67 for two with former Yorkshire batter Will Fraine unbeaten on 36.

Shropshire captain Charlie Home triggered a spectacular collapse by Wiltshire at the South Wilts club in Salisbury in Western Division Two.

Wiltshire were handily placed at 213 for three but they then lost their last seven wickets – all to Home – for 37.

Off-spinner Home claimed the wickets of his opposite number Ed Young, Toby Kershaw and Ben Draper to finish with a career-best seven for 23.

An unbroken second wicket partnership of 137 between former Worcestershire batter Tom Fell (70 not out) and Olly Westbury (69 not out) took Shropshire to 145 for one at the close.

Hampshire Academy batter Finn Gordon made 123 – his maiden century – in Dorset’s 374 for nine against Wales NC at Ebbw Vale.

All of Dorset’s top five topped 30 with Alex Eckland going on to 63 with Brad Wadlan (three for 75) Wales’ most successful bowler.

Durant Cricket National Counties Championship

First day of three

Eastern Division One

Cleethorpes: Staffordshire 386-7 (Michael Hill 166 not out, Sam Atkinson 86, Callum Hawkins 60), Lincolnshire 68-2.

Bury St Edmunds: Bedfordshire 353 (Sam Kelsall 116, Oli Soames 104, Tom Harper 7-55), Suffolk 69-2.

Western Division One

Nantwich: Cheshire 287 (Sam Perry 102, Luke Beaven 5-73, Berkshire 104-5.

Truro: Devon 120 (Will MacVicar 8-46) & 29-2, Cornwall 171 (Sam Read 4-38, Kaz Szymanski 4-59).

Eastern Division Two

Netherfield: Hertfordshire 355 (Dominic Chatfield 77, Scott Galloway 65, Ben Clifford 58, Freddie Fallows 4-110), Cumbria 67-2.

Jesmond: Norfolk 89 (Matt Oswell 6-23) & 79-4, Northumberland 283 (Seb Allison 72, Ali Appleby 68, Nikhil Gorantla 68, Andy Hanby 4-93).

Western Division Two

Ebbw Vale: Dorset 374-9 (Finn Gordon 123, Alex Eckland 63), Wales NC 43-2.

 South Wilts CC: Wiltshire 240 (Dylan Church 61, Charlie Home 7-37), Shropshire 145-1 (Tom Fell 70 not out, Olly Westbury 69 not out).

📸 Conrad Sutcliffe