National Counties 50-over Knockout Trophy - Week 3 Preview

Former Cambridgeshire batter Nikhil Gorantla will make his debut for Northumberland in their National Counties Trophy match against Oxfordshire at Banbury on Sunday. 

Gorantla made his debut for Cambridgeshire as a 15-year-old in 2018 and marked it with a half-century in the first innings of the three-day Championship match against Suffolk at Saffron Walden. 

Gorantla’s last appearance for Cambridgeshire came in their Trophy quarter-final defeat by Cumbria at Exning last July but the Durham University student has now transferred to Northumberland. 

Northumberland lead Group One following emphatic victories over Lincolnshire and Herefordshire, who they trounced by 255 runs at Jesmond last Sunday. 

Batter Bobby Green will make his Trophy debut and Northumberland can also call on the experience of coach Dan Shurben but they will travel to Banbury without England Under-19 international Ross Whitfield and opening batters Alasdair Appleby and Jack Jessop. 

Herefordshire host Lincolnshire at Brockhampton with captain Matt Pardoe, Nick Hammond, Olly Walker and Charlie Williams all returning. 

Lincolnshire include batter Jaden Fell and former Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Surrey left-arm paceman Mark Footitt, who were unavailable against Northumberland. 

There are Trophy debuts for Scunthorpe Town’s George Drewery and Lindum’s Pranav Pothula. 

Trophy holders Berkshire return to Slough for the first time in 21 years with Cornwall the visitors to Upton Court Road, which will also be a home Trophy venue for Buckinghamshire in two weeks’ time. 

Berkshire are without Tom Scriven, who is on LV=County Championship duty with Leicestershire but batter Savin Perera and pace bowler Mungo Russell return from injury and Josh Lincoln is also included in a 13-man squad. 

Cornwall have named slow left-armer Andrew Libby in their squad for a possible first appearance of the season with Chris Gibson and Joe Phillips returning having missed the victory over Devon two weeks ago. 

The other match in Group Two is at Luton where Bedfordshire face Devon, with both sides seeking their first points. 

Devon have added Somerset pace bowler Ned Leonard to the side beaten by Berkshire last weekend. 

Staffordshire have the in-form Nils Priestley back in their squad for their Group Four match against Dorset at Bashley. 

Priestley missed the defeat by Wiltshire at Smethwick last weekend because of a damaged finger and will need a late fitness check. He has been added to the eleven that faced Wiltshire. 

Group leaders Wiltshire face Wales NC at Warminster and have Warwickshire left-arm wrist spinner Jake Lintott available. 

Lintott was a regular in Wiltshire’s T20 campaign and is again available for National Counties duty as he is not required by Warwickshire for their return to County Championship action at Trent Bridge this weekend. 

Wales are missing Glamorgan pair Alex Horton and Andy Gorvin but have called up left-arm seamers Jack Harding (Taunton St Andrews) and Saihaj Jaspal (Ammanford) for their Trophy debuts. 

Shropshire will hope they can finally play a match on home soil when Norfolk visit Whitchurch for a Group Three match. 

Both of Shropshire’s scheduled home T20 double-headers at Shifnal and Wem were abandoned without a ball being bowled but the weather forecast for Sunday is much more encouraging. 

Shropshire have recalled all-rounder Jack Home and experienced former Somerset seamer Andy Sutton with Dan Lloyd and Joe Stanley missing out. 

Norfolk have named an unchanged 12-man squad as they seek their second win of the campaign. 

Suffolk complete their group programme with an away match but on home soil against Cambridgeshire at Exning. 

Cambridgeshire welcome back batter Jack Potticary, who missed last week’s defeat by Cheshire and have added all-rounder Will Routledge and former Sussex and Kent slow left-armer Elliot Hooper to their squad. 

Suffolk, who currently lead the group on net run rate, have named an unchanged side after last weekend’s victory over Norfolk at Horsford, which was their second in three games. 

National Counties Trophy 

Sunday June 11 (11am) 

Group One 

Brockhampton: Herefordshire v Lincolnshire, Banbury: Oxfordshire v Northumberland. 

Group Two 

Luton: Bedfordshire v Devon, Slough: Berkshire v Cornwall. 

Group Three 

Exning: Cambridgeshire v Suffolk, Whitchurch: Shropshire v Norfolk. 

Group Four 

Bashley: Dorset v Staffordshire, Warminster: Wiltshire v Wales.