National Counties 50-Over Knockout Trophy - Week 4 Preview

Sussex seamer Brad Currie is in line to make his first appearance of the season for Dorset in Sunday’s National Counties Trophy Group Four match against Wales NC at Panteg. 

Currie is a product of Dorset’s youth system who was signed by Sussex on an initial short-term contract midway through last season. 

The left-armer took six wickets on his LV= County Championship debut against Middlesex at Lord’s and signed a full contract with the south coast county before the start of this season. 

Sussex commitments have so far prevented Currie from playing for Dorset this season but he has been included in a 13-strong squad for the trip to Wales where a victory would improve their hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals as well as extinguishing those of their hosts. 

Wiltshire booked their place in the last eight last Sunday and the other four teams in the group all go into Sunday’s penultimate round of group matches with at least a mathematical chance of joining them. 

Wales have made two changes to the side beaten by Wiltshire at Warminster with Harry Friend returning from exam commitments in place of Callum Nicholls and Tegid Phillips replacing the unavailable Ben Morris. 

Staffordshire face Buckinghamshire at Moddershall & Oulton needing a win in their final group match to have any hope of making the quarter-final cut. 

But they also need Wales to do them a favour by beating Dorset and for Wiltshire to do the same next week.  

Staffordshire have made one change to the side named for last week’s washed-out match against Dorset with Bagnall Norton’s Scott Winnington replacing Pete Wilshaw. 

Buckinghamshire, who also need a win to stay in contention for a quarter-final place, will give a debut to Gerrards Cross spinner Teddy Fleming and have recalled all-rounder Jack Rodnight. 

Sunday’s match has been switched from the original venue of Porthill Park because that club is now hosting a National Club Championship match against Nantwich. 

It will be the first time that county cricket has been played at Moddershall’s Barnfields ground after a scheduled T20 double-header against Cumbria in April was washed out. 

In Group One, Northumberland have qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time in eight years and will guarantee themselves a home tie if they beat Cumbria in their final group match at Allendale. 

Northumberland welcome back opening batters Alasdair Appleby and Jack Jessop and slow left-armer Oli McGee. 

Cumbria, who need to win one of their last two matches to make the quarter-finals, again have experienced Leicestershire seamer Chris Wright available for the short trip across the county border. 

Haverigg wicketkeeper Drew Postlethwaite makes his seasonal debut and batter Nathan Waterston returns having missed the victory over Oxfordshire two weeks ago. 

Oxfordshire head to Bracebridge Heath to face Lincolnshire, who are also seeking their first Trophy win of the season, with Jersey batter Zak Tribe one of three debutants. 

Tribe, a student at Nottingham Trent University, is joined by Oxford Downs leg-spinner Henry Wlech and seamer Tommy Rex, who played for Herefordshire last season. 

Lincolnshire hope that Sunday’s crowd will be boosted by a large turn-out for their former players day. 

Shropshire return to St George’s in Telford for the first time in 22 years with Cambridgeshire the visitors. 

Shropshire require a win on Sunday and another against Cheshire next week to join Suffolk in the quarter-finals and have recalled Shifnal all-rounder Theo Wylie to replace the unavailable Jack Home. 

Cambridgeshire have added batter Yousuf Choudhray to the side beaten by Suffolk last Sunday. 

In Group Two only Devon, who have lost three games in a row, are out of contention for the quarter-finals. 

They face group leaders Hertfordshire at  North Devon CC in Instow where the host club’s all-rounder Jack Moore will make his Trophy debut. Somerset batter Josh Thomas returns in place of Sam Read. 

Unbeaten Hertfordshire have called up West Herts batter Arjun Patel and Hertford all-rounder Bailey Eustance for their seasonal and Trophy debuts. 

Cornwall have been forced to make six changes for Bedfordshire’s visit to Redruth as their sextet of Penzance players are required for a National Club Championship match against Bath. 

Helston all-rounder Dan Jenkin will make his debut for Cornwall with Werrington’s Adam Hodgson called up for his first county appearance in five years. 

Alex Bone, Ellis Whiteford, Kian Roberts and James Turpin all return to fill the gaps left by the unavailability of Chris Gibson, Tom Dinnis, Andrew Libby, Jack Paull, Christian Purchase and Ben Seabrook. 

Bedfordshire will travel with Kashif Ali who is required by Worcestershire this weekend having made a match-winning century against Devon last week. 

Harpenden’s Danyaal Khalid, who is a product of Bedfordshire’s youth system as well as having Second XI experience with Middlesex, has been called up for his county debut as Ali’s replacement. 

Sunday’s match will be only the second time Bedfordshire have played in Cornwall, the previous occasion being a Trophy match at Truro in 2012 which the hosts won by six wickets. 

National Counties Trophy 

Sunday June 18 (11am) 

Group One 

Bracebridge Heath: Lincolnshire v Oxfordshire, Allendale: Northumberland v Cumbria. 

Group Two 

Redruth: Cornwall v Bedfordshire, Instow: Devon v Hertfordshire 

Group Three 

St George’s: Shropshire v Cambridgeshire 

Group Four 

Moddershall: Staffordshire v Buckinghamshire, Panteg: Wales NC v Dorset