National Counties Knockout Trophy Semi Final Preview

Suffolk have withdrawn former Gloucestershire batter George Hankins from their side for Sunday's National Counties Trophy semi-final against Cumbria at Sudbury after they discovered that he is ineligible to play in the match.

Suffolk had recruited Hankins as a replacement professional for the unavailable George Rhodes, the former Worcestershire and Leicestershire batter and had intended to give him his debut against Cumbria.

Hankins, who has been playing club cricket for Hornchurch since being released by Gloucestershire two years ago, turned 26 in January.

Competition regulations state that players who are over 25 years of age on April 1 shall not be eligible to play in the knockout stages or final of the Trophy unless they were registered prior to the date scheduled for that county's third group match.

In Suffolk's case that was on June 4 when they beat Norfolk at Manor Park having played their two home matches against Shropshire at Sudbury and Cheshire at Mildenhall in successive days in late May.

Suffolk welcome back wicketkeeper Jacob Marston who missed their opening Durant Cricket National Counties Championship match against Staffordshire.

Marston's return means that Andy Northcote can return to his more familiar role as Suffolk coach.

Cumbria include Sussex-bound Leicestershire seamer Chris Wright who played in their group match victories over Oxfordshire and Northumberland.

Middle order batter Marcus Stables returns as does slow left-armer Matt Siddall who was a late withdrawal from their Championship defeat by Bedfordshire as he was called up to play for Derbyshire's Second XI.

Cumbria are appearing in their fourth successive semi-final having been runners-up to Berkshire for the last three seasons.

Suffolk are making their first semi-final appearance since 2018 when they lost out to Devon by virtue of having lost one more wicket after the scores were level.

Wiltshire host holders Berkshire at the South Wilts club in Salisbury seeking to reach the final for the first time since 2012.

Wiltshire are boosted by the availability of Warwickshire left-arm wrist spinner Jake Lintott.

Lintott was a regular in Wiltshire's T20 side this season but his Warwickshire commitments have so far ruled him out of their Trophy campaign. He replaces Jack Mynott in the only change to the side that beat Hertfordshire in the quarter-finals.

Wiltshire are also able to again include left-arm seamer Josh Croom who is on an extended trial with Warwickshire.

Berkshire have named contracted Middlesex pair Toby Greatwood and Jack Davies in their squad.

Greatwood played in the drawn three-day match against Devon earlier this week but the semi-final will be his first appearance for them in the Trophy.

Davies will make his first Trophy appearance of the season having made a half-century in last year's final. He also played in Berkshire's winning team in the 2019 final.

Josh Lincoln and Adam Searle make way for Greatwood and Davies in the changes to the squad that was named for the quarter-final against Dorset.

National Counties Trophy

Semi-finals

Sunday July 16 (11am)

Sudbury: Suffolk v Cumbria

South Wilts CC: Wiltshire v Berkshire