NCCA Cluberly Championship: Final Week - Preview

There is everything still to play for in an intriguing final round of NCCA Cluberly Championship matches which get underway on Sunday.

The Eastern and Western Division titles – both First and Second Division – and the two relegation places have yet to be decided with 14 of the 16 counties in action on an exciting final weekend of the regular season involved in at least one of those issues.

Tension is likely to be greatest in Western Division One where 17 points separate leaders Devon from bottom side Cornwall with only Berkshire, who have already completed their programme, the only one of the five counties who cannot win the title.

Devon are the only side to have won so far this season with their victory over Cornwall at Cornwood giving them an 11 points advantage over Oxfordshire, who visit Sidmouth this weekend.

Devon have recalled Ben Privett and Harry Passenger to replace Matt Skeemer and Jamie Stephens, who have work commitments, with Somerset Academy all-rounder Seb Linnitt coming in for Luke Medlock in the other change to the side that drew with Herefordshire.

Oxfordshire have named a much-changed side to the one that ended Berkshire’s hopes of topping the division by drawing with them at Thame. George Tait, Freddie Smith, Arjun Ramkumar, Luke Maslen and Luke Hayes are the only survivors named in a 12-man squad.

Contracted Sussex batter Harrison Ward is again ruled out by an injury sustained against Berkshire so Tait will lead the side with all-rounder Freddie Fowler called up for a possible debut.

Cornwall host Herefordshire at Redruth in what may prove to be the relegation decider and they have been boosted by the return of captain Paul Smith who will make his first Championship appearance of the season having missed the first three through paternity commitments.

Callington batter Ollie Allsop is called up for his county debut and former Devon slow left-armer Fahad Sabir is recalled.

Herefordshire, who go into the match five points clear of Cornwall, have made four changes to the side that drew with Devon at Eastnor.

Pace bowler Sam Keeling-Wright makes his first Championship appearance of a season which has included trialling with Northamptonshire and being sidelined by a shoulder injury. Harry Sockett, Cyrus Shafi and Imaad Mahmood are also recalled.

Buckinghamshire are favourites to take the Eastern Division One title having beaten defending champions Staffordshire by one wicket in a thriller at Stafford last week.

Suffolk are the current leaders but have completed their programme and, with a lead of just three points, it is unlikely that they will still be top by Tuesday evening.

Buckinghamshire take on Lincolnshire at High Wycombe with the visitors 12 points adrift of Cambridgeshire at the foot of the table and needing a win to have any chance to avoiding relegation.

Cambridgeshire host Staffordshire, who trail Buckinghamshire by ten points, at Peterborough where both sides need to win and hope that Lincolnshire can thwart Buckinghamshire to open a route to next week’s final.

Buckinghamshire are missing slow left-armer Conner Haddow, who has taken 23 wickets in their last two matches. Great Brickhill batter Taran Toor is a potential debutant and Ewan Cox returns to the county squad for the first time in two years.

Cambridgeshire have recalled Aum Patel, Ben Saunders, Ethan Rice and Ben Clilverd but are missing former Leicestershire slow left-armer James Sykes.

Staffordshire have included two potential debutants, Milford Hall batter Niall McHale and Stone SP spinner Jack Batchelor, in a 12-man squad. McHale and Batchelor have been action for Staffordshire Under-18s this week. The unavailability of Tom Moulton has created an opening for one of the youngsters.

There is a three-way fight for the Eastern Division Two title with a potential shoot-out between Northumberland and Bedfordshire at the South Northumberland club in Newcastle.

Northumberland went top by beating Cumbria last week while Bedfordshire were held to a draw by Hertfordshire on a flat pitch at Hertford.

Northumberland’s lead over Bedfordshire is seven points with Norfolk, who are three points further back, still in contention if they can beat bottom side Cumbria at Netherfield.

Northumberland are missing former Durham all-rounder Jonny Bushnell, who is on a two-week trial with Gloucestershire, and seamer Calum Fletcher, who has just started a new job as a police officer.

Sean Tindale will make his seasonal debut as Bushnell’s replacement with Alex Nice and Mohsin Mukhtar also recalled.

Bedfordshire give a debut to former Cambridgeshire slow left-armer Harrison Craig with Dilan Sheemar called up for his first county appearance in four years.

Norfolk, newly-crowned T20 champions,  expect captain Sam Arthurton to have recovered from the ankle injury that prevented him from playing in last Sunday’s Finals Day at Wormsley.

Their squad includes two debutants, Great Witchingham’s Nathan Muggeridge and Swardeston’s Lewis Reeder, who is on Northamptonshire’s academy.

Cumbria, who are hoping to avoid a third successive Eastern Division wooden spoon, welcome back captain Michael Slack from injury for the first time since June.

In Western Division Two, Dorset return to Chester Boughton Hall, where they beat Shropshire in last month’s National Counties Trophy final, to face hosts Cheshire needing a victory to overhaul leaders Wiltshire who sit out the final round of matches.

Cheshire still have a mathematical chance of passing both Dorset and Wiltshire but only if they beat Dorset with a full hand of bonus points. Any dropped bonus points will end Cheshire’s challenge.

There are first Championship appearances for Finn Gordon and Greg Willows and two potential debutants – Will Bere and Alfie Ingram – in Dorset’s squad.

Former Leicestershire and Northamptonshire left-arm paceman Michael Finan will make his first Championship appearance of the season for Cheshire with former Lancashire wicketkeeper George Lavelle, Tom Hafil and Dan Newton returning in the other changes to the side that beat Wales NC in two days last time out.

Whatever the outcome at Chester, the Dorset match will be the last for Cheshire’s Head of Cricket Pete Babbage who is stepping down after 20 years of loyal service in various roles with the county.

There are first Championship appearances for Finn Gordon and Greg Willows and two potential debutants – Will Bere and Alfie Ingram – in Dorset’s squad.

The other Western Division Two match is wooden spoon decider between Wales NC and Shropshire at St Asaph where the Elwy Grove Park ground will host Championship cricket for the first time.

Shropshire were also the visitors for a T20 double-header at St Asaph last season which was the first time Wales had played at the Denbighshire venue.

Mathew Ryan will make his first appearance for Wales in three years at his home club ground with Harrison Jones, another North Walian, recalled for his first National Counties match in two years.

Chris Stead, the coach of Wales NC North, will also be in charge of Wales for the three days.

Shropshire captain Charlie Home returns to lead the side after work commitments ruled him out of the defeat by Wiltshire at Bridgnorth.

Seamer Ravan Chahal, Wombourne all-rounder Chad Brandrick and Whitchurch seamer Alex Heath also return in place of Cameron Jones, Ollie Parton, Ben Roberts and Theo Wylie.

NCCA Cluberly Championship

August 31-September 2 (11am)

Eastern Division One

High Wycombe: Buckinghamshire v Lincolnshire. Peterborough: Cambridgeshire v Staffordshire.

Western Division One

Redruth: Cornwall v Herefordshire. Sidmouth: Devon v Oxfordshire.

Eastern Division Two

Netherfield: Cumbria v Norfolk. South Northumberland CC: Northumberland v Bedfordshire.

Western Division Two

Chester Boughton Hall: Cheshire v Dorset. St Asaph: Wales NC v Shropshire.