National Knockout Trophy Quarter Finals Preview

Holders Berkshire have called up batter Billy Mead for his debut in Sunday’s National Counties Trophy quarter-final against Dorset at Wimborne. 

Mead comes into the 12-strong squad to replace former England Under-19 opener Savin Perera whose form for Berkshire – he averages 40.6 in the Trophy and 41.1 in three-day cricket – and his club, Attenborough, have secured him a two-week trial with Nottinghamshire. 

Mead, who captains Datchet in the Home Counties Premier League, has had to wait patiently for his own opportunity with Berkshire having played for their Second XI for three seasons. 

He is a former MCC Young Cricketer and Hampshire Academy player who made a century on his first-class debut for Kent against Sri Lanka Development XI at Canterbury last season, but was not offered a contract. 

Mead is also the great-grandson of Billy Griffith, the former Sussex and England wicketkeeper/batter who went on to become secretary of MCC, and the great-nephew of former Sussex captain Mike Griffith. 

Berkshire, who are seeking to win the Trophy for a fourth successive season, include captain Dan Lincoln and batter/off-spinner Euan Woods who played destructive innings in helping the National Counties XI to a crushing victory over MCC on Tuesday. 

Dorset have named Hampshire batter/off-spinner Felix Organ in their squad but Sussex left-arm seamer Brad Currie and Hampshire all-rounder Ross Whiteley, who both played them beat Wiltshire last weekend, are required for Vitality Blast duty. 

Seamer Ollie Breckon is recalled and Ed Ellis, who was Dorset’s interim head coach last year, is set for his first appearance of the season with Sam Young unavailable this weekend. 

Bournemouth batter Lewis Freak is a potential debutant in a 12-man squad. 

Freddie Fallows, who made a rapid half-century on his debut for the National Counties XI this week, returns to Cumbria’s side for their tie against Cheshire at Keswick. 

The Durham UCCE batter, who has been playing for Durham Academy, was unavailable for last week’s quick victory over Lincolnshire but is one of two changes to the squad with Haverigg wicketkeeper Drew Postlethwaite also returning. 

Cumbria are seeking to reach their fourth successive Trophy final having finished as runners-up to Berkshire in 2019, 2021 and 2022. 

Cheshire have called up seamer Chris Sanders for his first appearance of the season in the only change to the side that faced Shropshire in a rained-out group match at Toft last weekend. 

Sale wicketkeeper Pat Ashling makes way for Sanders with Sam Perry taking over behind the stumps. 

Hertfordshire welcome back left-arm pace bowler Alex Gosling for the visit of Wiltshire to Hertford. 

The 19-year-old missed last weekend’s victory over Cornwall which secured top spot in Group Two and also helped Berkshire to guarantee their place in the last eight. 

Potters Bar seamer Jigar Mehta also returns in a 13-man squad with Northamptonshire and former Leicestershire opener batter Hasan Azad again available. 

Wiltshire have a trio of all-rounders -  Chris Aubrey, Harry Broderick and Arthur Godsal – back but are again without left-arm wrist spinner Jake Lintott who is required for Vitality Blast duty by Warwickshire. 

Lintott was due to play in last weekend’s Group Four decider against Dorset but was a late call-up  by Warwickshire for their LV County Championship match against Essex after Danny Briggs suffered a hamstring injury. 

Suffolk, who were the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals, have had a three-week break since they played their final group match. 

They are expected to field the same side that beat Cambridgeshire in that match for their home tie against Northumberland at Sudbury, the home ground of their white ball captain Adam Mansfield 

Former Cambridgeshire batter Nikhil Gorantla returns for Northumberland having made a half-century on his debut for them against Oxfordshire three weeks ago. 

Newcastle’s George Darwood, a 17-year-old seam bowler, also returns for Northumberland in the other change to the side beaten by Cumbria two weeks ago. 

In the semi-finals on Sunday July 16 the winners of Suffolk v Northumberland will be at home to either Cumbria or Cheshire with either Hertfordshire or Wiltshire having home advantage against Dorset or Berkshire. 

National Counties Trophy 

Quarter-finals 

Sunday July 2 (11am) 

Keswick: Cumbria v Cheshire

Wimborne: Dorset v Berkshire

Hertford: Hertfordshire v Wiltshire

Sudbury: Suffolk v Northumberland