Mixed Fortunes For National Counties XI In European Championships

National Counties XI had mixed fortunes on the second day of Champions Week at the Dream 11 European T10 Championship in Malaga. 

Having easily disposed of Germany by 130 runs in their opening match of the day, National Counties came up short against defending champions Netherlands XI and were beaten by six wickets with seven balls to spare at the Cartama Oval. 

Despite the defeat National Counties, who are representing England in the 31-nation competition, ended the day at the top of the qualifying group, ahead of Netherlands on superior net run rate. 

National Counties face another double-header on Wednesday with Italy at 10.30am and hosts Spain at 3pm followed by one match on Thursday against Ireland XI. Only the top four teams in the group progress to Finals Day on Friday. 

Against Germany, National Counties racked up 183 for two – their highest-ever total in the competition – and then produced a clinical bowling and fielding display to secure their biggest win by runs margin. 

Victory was based around a second wicket partnership of 132 between captain Dan Lincoln and Tom Hinley with Lincoln becoming the first batter to reach 1,000 runs in the competition. 

The Berkshire batter/wicketkeeper produced some audacious strokes to reach his first half-century in this season’s competition before he holed out to deep point having struck five sixes and eight fours in his 29-ball 68. 

Oxfordshire’s Hinley was even more destructive with the former Sussex left-hander clobbering nine sixes and six fours in his 86 not out from just 25 balls. 

Wales NC’s Tom Bevan helped Hinley plunder 41 from the last 12 balls of the innings which left Germany with a mountain to climb. 

It quickly became an impossible task as Cornwall seamer Tommy Sturgess two wickets in his first over and Wales NC’s Richard Edwards two in his second over. 

Disciplined bowling from Cumbria slow left-armer Freddie Fallows (three for 17) meant there was no recovery from Germany although Sajid Liaqat struck a few lusty blows in his 13-ball 29. 

The match against Netherlands was a re-run of last season’s final which the Dutch also won in a run chase. 

Having watched their senior side beat South Africa in the ICC World Cup in India in television, Netherlands needed no further incentive. 

Having started their title defence with a defeat against Italy on Monday evening, Netherlands bounced back with a four wickets win over Ireland in their first match of the second day. 

An unbeaten 78 from 28 balls from Boris Gorlee got them home against National Counties with Sebastiaan Baart giving him excellent support in an unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 76. 

Lincoln made his second half-century of the day – 57 from 29 balls – which dominated a fifth wicket stand of 78 with Bevan (31 not out). 

The partnership rescued National Counties after Netherlands seamer Mees van Vliet had taken all four wickets in reducing them to 38 for four in the first three overs of the match, 

A total of 121 for five looked a little under-par but was still competitive and National Counties looked the more likely winners when Netherlands slipped to 49 for four at the halfway stage of their innings. 

Buckinghamshire slow left-armer Conner Haddow took two wickets in three balls but National Counties could not dislodge Gorlee who improvised intelligently to strike six sixes and nine fours. 

National Counties, Netherlands, Spain and Germany have each won two and lost one of their first three matches in Champions week with Jersey bottom of the table after three straight defeats. 

 Dream 11 European T10 Championship 

Cartama Oval, Malaga 

Championship Week 

Match One: National Counties XI 183-2 (Tom Hinley 86 not out, Dan Lincoln 61), Germany 53 (Tommy Sturgess 3-3, Freddie Fallows 3-17, Richard Edwards 2-9). National Counties XI won by 130 runs. 

Match Two: National Counties XI 121-5 (Dan Lincoln 57, Tom Bevan 31 not out, Mees van Vliet 4-20) Netherlands XI  125-4. (Boris Gorlee 78 not out, Sebastiaan Braat 25 not out). Netherlands XI won by six wickets.