NCCA 50-over Trophy Week 3 Review

Norfolk opener Sam Arthurton’s record-breaking 180 not out overshadowed another century from Shropshire’s George Hargrave in a high-scoring National Counties Trophy match at Great Witchingham.

Arthurton’s innings was the highest by a Norfolk batter in the competition, taking him past the 164 that Steve Plumb made against Lincolnshire at Swardeston in 1986.

It also propelled Norfolk to a nine wickets win as they completed their record run chase, hunting down a target of 296 with more than five overs to spare.

Arthurton’s innings – his fourth century in the competition – relegated Hargrave’s 152 to a footnote although he now holds Shropshire’s record for highest scores in all three formats.

Last year the former Oxford University batter became the first Shropshire batter to make a double century in the National Counties Championship, last month he was the first to make T20 century for the county and he now has a share of their highest score in the 50 overs competition along with John Foster, who made 152 against Wales in 1991.

Hargrave shared a Shropshire record third wicket partnership of 168 with Andre Bradford (65) but Andy Hanby’s four wickets helped to keep them below 300.

Norfolk responded with an opening stand of 84 between Arthurton and Alfie Cooper (42) before Ben Wilcox (64 not out) joined Arthurton in an unbroken second wicket partnership of 212.

Arthurton’s innings spanned 146 balls and included 19 fours and six sixes, providing rich entertainment in the first county match staged at Walcis Park.

Norfolk’s third straight win cemented their place at the top of Group Two with the four other counties all jostling for position behind them with one win each.

But Staffordshire, who have played one game more than Herefordshire, Shropshire and Suffolk, saw their hopes of making the quarter-finals recede as they were beaten by six wickets by Herefordshire at Eastnor.

For the second week running Staffordshire’s batting misfired and a total of 163, based mainly on a half-century from Matthew Morris, always looked inadequate.

Former Worcestershire batter Taylor Cornall launched the chase with ten boundaries in his 49 and although Herefordshire lost three wickets for seven runs, a half-century from Ben Chapman-Lilley and 35 not out from skipper Matt Pardoe saw them home with more than 17 overs to spare which gave their net run rate a healthy boost.

Cambridgeshire collapsed spectacularly at the South Northumberland club in Gosforth which enabled Northumberland to their first win in the competition this season in Group One.

Cambridgeshire appeared in no difficulty when Wayne White (60) and Callum Guest (25) opened with a partnership of 86 but they then lost all their wickets for 40 with no-one else reaching double figures.

Seamers Callum Fletcher – with a competition-best four for 15 – and Seb Allison (four for 40) did the damage and Northumberland coasted home inside 21 overs with Ali Appleby (50 not out) and former Cambridgeshire batter Nikhil Gorantla (58 not out) adding 110 for the second wicket.

Bedfordshire made it back-to-back wins with a four wickets victory against Lincolnshire at Woodhall Spa.

Jordan Cook’s 88 was the centrepiece of Lincolnshire’s 192 all out with seamer Amrit Basra and leg-spinner Joe Lowe sharing eight wickets.

Solid batting down the order saw Bedfordshire home with more than five overs in hand with Matt Coles (33 not out) and Nabil Moughal (20 not out) adding 50 in an unbroken seventh wicket partnership.

A maiden Trophy century from opener Ben Privett set up Devon’s 92 runs victory over Buckinghamshire at High Wycombe in Group Three.

Privett followed up his maiden half-century against Oxfordshire last week with 101 out of Devon’s 279 for eight and he received excellent support from Elliot Hamilton (31) and Charlie Sharland (43) in half-century partnerships for the first two wickets.

Former Glamorgan paceman Kazi Szymanski then undermined Buckinghamshire by taking a competition-best five for 28 with Ed Bragg’s 47 the best of a number of cameo innings.

Oxfordshire bounced back from last week’s heavy defeat by Devon to beat Cornwall by 20 runs at Banbury.

Jamie Harrison’s 90 and a maiden half-century from Tristan Rossouw took Oxfordshire to 249 for nine with former Kent all-rounder Alex Blake taking three of those wickets.

Cornwall were kept in the hunt by Karl Leathley’s 62 and 87 were still needed when he was seventh out. Jake Rowe (30) and Alex Bone added 47 for the eighth wicket before both fell in quick succession to seamer Prav Chahal.

Wales NC were unable to profit from a maiden Trophy century from Steffan Roberts and the presence of Northamptonshire leg-spinner Alex Russell as they went down by seven wickets against Dorset at Wimborne.

Roberts, who struck seven fours and a six from 120 balls shared half century partnerships for the third and sixth wickets with Brad Wadlan (35) and Tegid Phillips (27) but they were the only other batters to top 20.

Dorset paced their chase to perfection with David Scott completing a good day’s work by following up a three wickets haul with a half century in a second wicket partnership of 75 with his skipper Luke Webb (42).

Russell broke the partnership by bowling Webb but Finn Gordon (63 not out) and Alex Eckland (53 not out) saw Dorset home with 21 balls to spare with an unbroken fourth wicket partnership of 100.

Just two balls were possible in the other Group Four match between Cheshire and Hertfordshire at Hyde. Rain delayed the start and returned after Hertfordshire had scored one run – a wide – to force an abandonment.

 National Counties Trophy

Group One

Woodhall Spa: Lincolnshire 192 (Jordan Cook 88, Joe Lowe 4-11, Amrit Basra 4-46), Bedfordshire 193-6). Bedfordshire won by four wickets.

South Northumberland: Cambridgeshire 126 (Wayne White 60, Callum Fletcher 4-15, Seb Allison 4-40), Northumberland 127-1 (Nikhil Gorantla 58 not out, Alasdair Appleby 50 not out). Northumberland won by nine wickets.

Group Two

Eastnor: Staffordshire 163 (Matthew Morris 51), Herefordshire 166-4 (Ben Chapman-Lilley 54). Herefordshire won by six wickets.

Great Witchingham: Shropshire 295-8 (George Hargrave 152, Andre Bradford 65, Andy Hanby 4-41), Norfolk 296-1 (Sam Arthurton 180 not out, Ben Wilcox 64 not out). Norfolk won by nine wickets.

Group Three

High Wycombe: Devon 279-8 (Ben Privett 101), Buckinghamshire 187 (Kazi Szymanski 5-28). Devon won by 92 runs

Banbury: Oxfordshire 249-9 (Jamie Harrison 90, Tristan Rossouw 51) Cornwall 229 (Karl Leathley 62). Oxfordshire won by 20 runs..

Group Four

Hyde: Hertfordshire 1-0 v Cheshire. No result.

Wimborne: Wales NC 227 (Steffan Roberts 100), Dorset 228-3 (Finn Gordon 63 not out, Alex Eckland 53 not out, David Scott 53). Dorset won by seven wickets.