National Counties T20 WK 2 Review

Zach Lion-Cachet kept alive Oxfordshire’s hopes of successfully defending their National Counties T20 title with a brilliant maiden century which set up a thumping win over Bedfordshire in the second match of their double-header at Dunstable.

The 19-year-old, who has been trialling with Sussex,  plundered 101 from 56 balls – including five sixes - and he shared a competition record second wicket stand of 175 with Tom Hinley.

Lion Cachet was making only his second T20 appearance for Oxfordshire having made his competition debut in the first match at Dunstable earlier in the day. He was given his chance because Sussex opener Harrison Ward was unavailable and he proved why Oxfordshire rate him so highly.

Hinley, a former Sussex staffer, made 83 not out to help Oxfordshire pile up 207 for one, a total that proved far too many for Bedfordshire.

Lion Cachet’s innings helped Oxfordshire bounce back from a seven wickets defeat in the opener -  as they did against Buckinghamshire last week  - with the victory in the second match which helped the holders to stay in touch with Berkshire who looked in ominous form in completing a double over Buckinghamshire in the other Group Four double-header.

In the opening match at Dunstable Oxfordshire were dismissed for 106 after they were put with their last three wickets falling to the last three balls of the innings, two to seamer Amrit Basra and captain Jonny Cater run out off the last delivery.

Bedfordshire captain George Thurstance guided his side to victory with a half century and Worcestershire’s Kashif Ali also contributed to the win with two for 21 with his leg breaks and 29 in a second wicket stand of 53 with Thurstance.

It was a very different story in the second match where Bedfordshire crumbled to 22 for six after Lion-Cachet and Hinley had flayed their attack.

Seamer Prav Chahal took five for 17 and although former Hampshire and Dorset batter Oli Soames led a mini-recovery with 39 not out, Bedfordshire were 96 runs adrift of their DRS target when rain brought an early end to their reply.

Berkshire did not take long to find form having suffered a double abandonment against Wales NC last week with victories by eight wickets then five wickets against Buckinghamshire at High Wycombe.

All-rounder Andy Rishton had a productive day with three for 19 in the opener, three for 33 in the second and match-winning innings of 62 not out to complete the second victory.

Yorkshire leg-spinner Jafer Chohan took two for eleven in the first match before Savin Perera marked his return from a broken thumb which forced him to miss the second half of last season with a half century.

Perera and captain Dan Lincoln (35) opened with a partnership of 89 which got Berkshire most of the way to a target of 105 which they needed only 69 balls to reach.

Useful contributions from Ewan Cox (38), Ross Richardson (33) and Teddie Casterton (32 not out) ensured that Berkshire had a more challenging chase in the second match but Rishton struck four sixes in his 47-ball innings and got them home with 14 balls to spare.

Dorset made it three straight wins in Group Two with a six wickets victory over Devon in a low-scoring opening contest at Exmouth before rain washed out the second match.

Devon struggled to 92 for seven against miserly bowling with Rob Pack leading the way with two for 20 with good support from David Scott (one for 14) and Hampshire’s Ross Whiteley (one for 18).

Scott then impressed with the bat, making an unbeaten 41 from 46 balls and sharing a fourth wicket stand of 48 with captain Luke Webb (26) that took Dorset to within four of their target.

Rain also interrupted the other Group Two double-header at Wadebridge but it did not prevent Cornwall from winning both matches against Wiltshire.

The first was reduced to just six overs-a-side but that was time enough for Wiltshire to struggle against Ben Ellis, who took a competition-best three for 13 in his two overs.

Wiltshire’s total of 39 for six always looked inadequate and Cornwall eased home by nine wickets with 11 balls to spare with former Cambridgeshire batter Ben Seabrook making 21 not out on his debut for his new county.

The second match was played in full but Wiltshire again posted a below-par total of 131 for six which owed much to 33 from captain Ed Young and the same score from Ben Draper.

Seamer Jordan Thomas took three for 20 with Ellis weighing in with two more wickets before a half-century from Christian Purchase saw Cornwall home with four overs to spare.

Josh Croom did most to check Cornwall’s progress with three for 14 while Warwickshire left-arm wrist spinner Jake Lintott made a low-key seasonal debut for Wiltshire.

Lintott, fresh from a stint playing List A cricket for Mohammedan Sporting Club in the Dhaka Premier Division, encountered very different conditions to those he left behind in Bangladesh last week.

He bowled five wicketless overs across the two matches at a cost of 46 and made 12 runs opening the batting, top-scoring for Wiltshire with ten in the first match.

Hertfordshire also got their season going with a double over Lincolnshire in Group Three on their return to Hitchin after an absence of 25 years.

Charlie Scott played a decisive innings in each match, top-scoring with 53 in the first to help set up a five wickets win and sharing a second wicket stand of 100 with Charlie Mumford, who made a half century on debut.

Scott than helped Hertfordshire survive an attack of the jitters when, having reached 163 for four in pursuit of a target of 170, they lost four wickets for six runs.

Scott was unbeaten on 45 as Hertfordshire got home by two wickets with a ball to spare.

Jack Timby (61) and Jaden Fell (39) shared an opening partnership of 91 for Lincolnshire in the first match with Fell also in the runs in the second game with 38 and Ben Wright top scoring with 42.

Only 95 balls were bowled at Ipswich School where Suffolk were in trouble at 73 for seven in the opener against Cambridgeshirewhen the rain arrived.

Peterborough Town seamer Mohammed Danyaal took three for 15 but rain prevented further play and the second match of the day was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Staffordshire’s new captain James Kettleborough made a competition-best 81 not out but it was not enough to save his side from a seven wickets defeat in the opening match against Northumberland at the South Northumberland club in Group One.

The former Northamptonshire and Glamorgan batter struck four fours and two sixes from 57 balls and shared an unbroken fourth wicket partnership of 87 with Matthew Morris (33 not out).

But Northumberland paced their chase of a target of 159 to perfection with Alasdair Appleby (45) and John Oswell (34) leading the way with an opening stand of 68.

Durham’s Luke Doneathy chipped in with 37 on his Northumberland debut before captain and Ireland international Stuart Poynter saw his side home with 13 balls to spare with a quickfire unbeaten 30.

Staffordshire gained revenge in the second match which was reduced to 12-overs-a-side by rain thanks to a brilliant 39-ball 97 from former Derbyshire all-rounder Nils Priestley.

Priestley struck 76 of his runs – including six sixes – in boundaries and he shared an opening stand of 122 in nine overs with Peter Wilshaw which swept Staffordshire to an imposing 161 for three.

Northumberland were kept in check by Staffordshire’s attack but Doneathy completed a good day’s work by top-scoring with 31.

Cheshire suffered their second successive double washout with overnight rain and further showers during the day washing out both games against Shropshire at Shifnal.

Cheshire have four points but have yet to take the field this season and will hope it is third time lucky when they host Staffordshire at Nantwich on Monday May 1.

National Counties T20

Group One

South Northumberland CC: Staffordshire 158-3(James Kettleborough 81 not out), Northumberland 159-3 (Alasdair Appleby 45). Northumberland won by seven wickets. Staffordshire 161-3 (Nils Priestley 97), Northumberland 105-7. Staffordshire won by 56 runs.

Shifnal: Shropshire v Cheshire. Both matches abandoned.

Group Two

Wadebridge: Wiltshire 39-6 (Ben Ellis 3-13), Cornwall 40-1. Cornwall won by nine wickets. Wiltshire 131-6 (Jordan Thomas 3-20), Cornwall 132-6 (Christian Purchase 56, Josh Croom 3-14). Cornwall won by six wickets.

Exmouth: Devon 92-7, Dorset 93-4 (David Scott 41 not out). Dorset won by six wickets. Match two abandoned.

Group Three

Hitchin: Lincolnshire 157-5 (Jack Timby 61), Hertfordshire 158-5 (Charlies Scott 53, Charlie Mumford 52). Hertfordshire won by five wickets. Lincolnshire 169-7 (Ben Wright 42), Hertfordshire 170-8 (Charlie Scott 45 not out). Hertfordshire won by two wickets. 

Ipswich School: Suffolk 73-7 (Mohammed Danyaal 3-15), Cambridgeshire – No result. Match two abandoned.

Group Four

Dunstable: Oxfordshire 106 (Amrit Basra 3-21), Bedfordshire 109-3 George Thurstance 53), Bedfordshire won by seven wickets.Oxfordshire 207-1 (Zach Lion-Cachet 101 not out, Tom Hinley 83 not out), Bedfordshire 83-7 (Prav Chahal 5-17). Oxfordshire won by 96 runs (DLS Method).

High Wycombe: Buckinghamshire 104 (Andy Rishton 3-19), Berkshire 107-2 (Savin Perera 50), Berkshire won by eight wickets.Buckinghamshire 144-6 (Andy Rishton 3-33), Berkshire 148-5 (Andy Rishton 62 not out). Berkshire won by five wickets.