National Counties Trophy Review Week 1 - Sunday

George Rhodes won a tussle with his former Worcestershire team-mates Tom Fell and Olly Westbury to help Suffolk start their National Counties Trophy campaign with 69 runs win over Shropshire at Sudbury in Group Three. 

Rhodes, who was released by Leicestershire last year, made an aggressive 73-ball 90 – which included 11 fours and two sixes - and he then took three for 13 with his off-spin including the wickets of his two former Worcestershire colleagues in successive balls. 

Rhodes shared a third wicket stand of 112 with Ben Claydon (56) after Darren Ironside had opened with 41 for Suffolk. 

Seamer Ben Roberts took five for 39 which doubled his previous wicket tally in the competition to dismiss Suffolk for 251. 

Oxford University batter George Hargrave responded with 64 for Shropshire but Rhodes undermined the chase by bowling Fell then having Westbury LBW first ball. 

Slow left-armer Jack Beaumont took four for 47 to deny Shropshire a recovery and they were dismissed for 182 with more than ten of their 50 overs unused. 

Norfolk also opened their Group Three programme with an emphatic win, beating Cheshire by 84 runs at Horsford. 

Solid batting down the order helped Norfolk to 238 for six with Alfie Cooper (76) and Ben Wilcox (59) both making maiden half centuries in the competition. 

The pair added 121 for the third wicket and Freddie Fairey the weighed in with 33 to take Norfolk to a total that stretched Cheshire. 

Seamer Andy Hanby marked his seasonal debut with competition-best figures of five for 33 to help dismiss Cheshire for 154 with his haul including former county players Harry Dearden and Joe Cooke in the same over. 

Four players got starts in Cheshire’s reply but only Sale’s wicketkeeper Pat Ashling (38) topped 30 and they were dismissed with almost 15 overs unused. 

Staffordshire, who won the National Counties T20 competition last week, successfully adapted to the longer format by beating Wales NC 55 by runs in Group Four at Port Talbot. 

Wicketkeeper Callum Hawkins impressed as an opening batter with a 68-ball 50 which, with useful contributions from the in-form Nils Priestley (27) and captain James Kettleborough (25) helped Staffordshire to 188. 

Experienced seamer Richard Edwards was the pick of Wales’ attack with four for 33. 

Warwickshire Academy pair Sam Atkinson and Rory Haydon opened Staffordshire’s attack and returned combined figures of 15.2-0-57-6 but it was slow left-armer Tom Brett who throttled the chase as he took two for 14 in his ten overs. 

Steffan Roberts (33) and Alex Horton (31) shared a second wicket partnership of 49 but there were six single figures scores and Wales were shot out for 133 inside 37 overs. 

There are six more National Counties Trophy matches on Bank Holiday Monday with Suffolk and Cheshire in action again, this time meeting at Mildenhall. 

Cornwall will give a debut to 16-year-old all-rounder Kian Roberts, the son of former Northamptonshire batter David, in their Group Two match against Devon at Truro. 

Jack Paull is recalled but Chris Gibson and Joe Phillips, who played in last week’s T20 final, are unavailable. 

National Counties Trophy  

Group Three  

Horsford: Norfolk 238-6 (Alfie Cooper 76, Ben Wilcox 59), Cheshire 154 (Andy Hanby 5-33). Norfolk won by 84 runs. 

 Sudbury: Suffolk 251 (George Rhodes 90, Ben Claydon 56, Ben Roberts 5-39), Shropshire 182 (George Hargrave 64, Jack Beaumont 4-47. Suffolk won by 69 runs 

Group Four  

Port Talbot: Staffordshire 188 (Callum Hawkins 50, Richard Edwards 4-33), Wales NC 133. Staffordshire won by 55 runs.  

Monday May 29 (11am)  

Group One  

Brockhampton: Herefordshire v Cumbria, Scunthorpe: Lincolnshire v Northumberland.  

Group Two  

Henley: Berkshire v Hertfordshire, Truro: Cornwall v Devon  

Group Three  

Mildenhall: Suffolk v Cheshire  

Group Four  

Marlborough College: Wiltshire v Buckinghamshire