National Counties Trophy 2022 QF Preview

All-rounder Sam Griffiths will make his first appearance for Wales NC in four years in Sunday’s National Counties Trophy quarter-final against defending champions Berkshire at the Falkland club in Newbury. 

Griffiths, who plays his club cricket for Neath, was a regular for Wales between 2012 and 2018 but family commitments have since ruled him out of selection. 

With more than 2,000 runs across all formats, Griffiths’ experience will be valuable to Wales who are awaiting late fitness checks on Glamorgan slow left-armer Prem Sisodiya (hand) and seamer Sam Jardine (hamstring). 

Ben Morris is involved in the ECB Super Fours competition so fast bowler Sam Moore has been included in the squad for the first time. 

Moore plays his club cricket for Carmarthen Wanderers and is a product of Wellington School where he has been coached by Steffan Jones, who played for Wales before a successful career in county cricket with Somerset, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire. 

Former Derbyshire and Essex all-rounder Greg Smith also returns having played in the group match against Staffordshire. 

Berkshire’s squad includes the 11 players who featured in the victory over Hertfordshire three weeks ago to which they have added batter Imran Malik, fresh from a century for the Second XI against Wiltshire this week, and off-spinner Adam Searle. 

Oxfordshire, who have already won the National Counties T20 competition this season, have Sussex batter Harrison Ward available for their tie against Suffolk at Banbury. 

Ward is a product of Oxfordshire’s youth system and made his most recent appearance for the county in the T20 final at Tring in May where his 84 took them to a two wickets win over Cambridgeshire. 

Oxfordshire also include teenage batter Zach Lion-Cachet, who has impressed playing for Sussex’s Second XI, for his first appearance of the season. 

Captain Jonny Cater returns to lead the side after missing the first two matches in Oxfordshire’s defence of the National Counties Championship through holiday commitments. 

Suffolk, who were beaten by Oxfordshire in last season’s Championship final, will have batter Ben Claydon available after he tested positive for Covid during last week’s Championship defeat by Norfolk. 

Josh Frame misses out this week because a positive Covid test but Leicestershire batsman George Rhodes is available. 

Cambridgeshire, the first side to qualify for the quarter-finals, host Cumbria at Exning seeking a quick double over their visitors following victory in the Championship at Barrow on Tuesday. 

Peterborough Town all-rounder Danny Mohammed comes into the side that beat Suffolk in Cambridgeshire’s final group match in place of Nikhil Gorantla who is enjoying a successful trial with Essex Second XI, which included a double century against Yorkshire last week. 

Cumbria have called up Nathan Waterston and Sam Sharp for their first Trophy appearances of the season but Gary Pratt and James McGown are unavailable. 

Dorset will give a debut to Bournemouth’s highly-regarded 16-year-old slow left-armer Connor Smith against Devon at North Perrott. 

Leg-spinner Jem Warner has been recalled for his first county appearance in six years with batter Greg Willows and left-arm seamer coming into the side that beat Wales three weeks ago. 

All-rounder Matt Golding, who has been unavailable due to work commitments, has been included in Devon’s squad for the first time this season. 

Left-arm seamer Jonty Walliker and Gloucestershire Academy slow left-armer Max Shepherd are in line for their Trophy debuts and batter Adam Small, who has been in the runs in the Championship is also included in a 13-man squad. 

Former Kent and Somerset all-rounder Calum Haggett will captain Devon in the absence of the unavailable Jamie Stephens. 

National Counties Trophy 

Sunday July 17 (11am) 

Quarter-finals 

Banbury: Oxfordshire v Suffolk

Falkland CC: Berkshire v Wales NC

Burwell & Exning CC: Cambridgeshire v Cumbria

North Perrott: Dorset v Devon