50 Over Trophy: Week 2 - Preview

Cambridgeshire expect to be without all-rounder Ben Claydon for the rest of the season after the in-form batter fractured his collarbone in a fielding accident last weekend.

Claydon joined Cambridgeshire from Suffolk during the winter and made two half-centuries – including 96 on his debut against Lincolnshire – in their T20 campaign.

But Claydon now looks certain to miss the remainder of the season having badly fractured his collarbone when he landed awkwardly attempting to save a boundary playing for Sawston & Babraham against Great Witchingham.

Cambridgeshire begin their National Counties Trophy campaign on Sunday with a Group One match against Cumbria at Fenner’s where batter Henry Wilson is set to make his competitive debut having first played for the county in last summer’s Showcase match against Northamptonshire.

Connor Craig and Alex Peirson will make their first appearances of the season.

Cumbria travel without their Lancashire pair, Steven Croft and Harry Singh, but will give a debut to former Durham University batter Jason Marshall who now plays his club cricket for Wimbledon.

Bedfordshire are set to give a debut to batter Jake Tarling, who played one National Counties Championship match for Buckinghamshire last season, against Northumberland at Luton in the other Group One match.

Batters Harry Gouldstone and Amrit Basra return and Joe Lowe and Jack Fuller are set for their first appearances of the season.

Northumberland have made one change to the side was beaten by Lincolnshire with Ben Robinson replacing Haydon Mustard.

Norfolk welcome back batters Josh Cobb and Freddie Fairey for their Group Two match against Staffordshire at Smethwick.

Both were concussed in a collision in the field in a T20 match against Suffolk four weeks ago but have now passed all the necessary protocols and returned to action last week, Cobb with Worcestershire.

Brothers Callum and Ethan Metcalf are missing due to injury and exam commitments respectively but Joe Everett, a seamer from the Ashmanhaugh & Barton Wanderers club, is set to make his Norfolk debut.

Staffordshire welcome back slow left-armer Tom Brett, who would have missed the rained-off T20 Finals Day, because of parental duties.

Four Shropshire players will enjoy home comforts for Suffolk’s visit to Shifnal.

Captain Charlie Home, Andrew Bradford, Ben Lees and Ben Roberts all play their club cricket at Shifnal.

Suffolk are boosted by the return from injury of former Worcestershire and Leicestershire all-rounder George Rhodes.

Alex Oxley and Alex Cruickshank will also make their seasonal debuts with all-rounder Tom Harper also called up following a heavy defeat by Staffordshire three weeks ago.

There will be a new but familiar name in Oxfordshire’s side for their Group Three match against Devon at Sidmouth.

George Ealham is the son of former Kent, Nottinghamshire all-rounder Mark, the grandson of former Kent batter Alan and the elder brother of Surrey’s Tommy Ealham.

George has played county Second XI cricket for Kent and Surrey and more recently for Sussex whose links with Oxfordshire will see him make his National Counties debut.

Batters Harrison Ward and Zach Lion-Cachet are required by Sussex this weekend but spinner Max Mannering comes into the squad for his seasonal debut.

Devon are missing Fin Hill, who is on Somerset Under-18s duty, and white ball captain James Horler, who is at a family wedding.

Three-day captain Jamie Stephens will lead the side with Elliot Hamilton and Sandford’s Lawrence Walker called up.

Former Shropshire captain Graham Wagg will make his debut for Cornwall against holders Berkshire at St Austell.

Wagg, who is playing club cricket for Callington, has been signed as a locum professional as former Kent all-rounder Alex Blake is unavailable.

It will be a first National Counties appearance in two years for Wagg, who had a long first-class career with Warwickshire, Derbyshire and Glamorgan.

Chris Gibson will make his first appearance of the season for Cornwall in place of Matt Robins in the other change to the side beaten by Berkshire in the T20 Super 12s at Slough two weeks ago.

Berkshire pace bowler Tommy Sturgess will make a return to his former county at the end of what has been a busy week on the road for him, captain Dan Lincoln, coach Tom Lambert and team-mates Euan Woods and Toby Greatwood.

After two days in Chester for the rained-out T20 Finals Day, they travelled to Hove for the NCCA’s Challengers T20 match against Sussex on Tuesday evening and then to Wimbledon for the National Counties XI’s two matches in the European Cricket Series T10 competition.

Former Wiltshire batter Oli Meadows will make his Wales NC debut against his former county in the Group Four at Pontarddulais. Meadows joined Wales NC during the winter after Cam Hemp moved to Buckinghamshire.

Glamorgan seamer Ben Morris is available for Wales duty and Tim Moses will make his white ball debut.

Wiltshire have made one change to the side that beat Hertfordshire three weeks ago with Chippenham seamer Adam Sullivan called up for his county debut in place of Keron Bennett-Thomas.

Hertfordshire host Dorset in the other Group Four match at Welwyn Garden City where Cole Seggery will make his seasonal debut and Callum Scott his first appearance in two years.

Dorset have called up National Counties XI all-rounder David Scott, Greg Willows and Finn Gordon following their heavy defeat by Cheshire in their opener.

National Counties Trophy

Sunday June 2 (11am)

Group One

Luton: Bedfordshire v Northumberland. Fenner’s: Cambridgeshire v Cumbria

Group Two

Shifnal: Shropshire v Suffolk. Smethwick: Staffordshire v Norfolk.

Group Three

St Austell: Cornwall v Berkshire. Sidmouth: Devon v Oxfordshire.

Group Four

Welwyn Garden City: Hertfordshire v Dorset. Pontarddulais: Wales NC v Wiltshire.