NCCA Cluberly Championship: Week 2 - Day Three Review

Staffordshire made a successful start to their defence of the NCCA Cluberly Championship Eastern Division title by sweeping to a seven wickets victory over Lincolnshire at Checkley.

A masterful career-best unbeaten 113 from opener Matt Morris enable Staffordshire to make light of a target of 292 – the highest total of the match – with excellent support from Tom Moulton and Michael Hill.

Moulton (50) shared a first wicket partnership of 92 with Morris and Hill, leading Staffordshire in the absence of James Kettleborough, then joined Morris in a match-winning unbroken fourth wicket stand of 157. Hill finished unbeaten on 87 and with a match aggregate of 180 without being dismissed.

Rain, which delayed the start by an hour, and the loss of Amir Khan and Reeve Evitts for seven runs briefly threatened Staffordshire’s progress but they had wrapped up victory wrapped up by tea and inside 72 overs.

In the other Eastern Division One match Cambridgeshire fought a long rearguard action to earn a draw against Suffolk at Sawston.

Suffolk declared on their overnight total which left Cambridgeshire with an improbable last day target of 393 or, more realistically gave themselves a day to take ten wickets.

But Cambridgeshire safely batted out for a draw with Ben Claydon making an unbeaten century against his former county after captain Wayne White had anchored the innings with a half-century.

When the sides shook hands on the draw, Cambridgeshire were 268 for five from 95 overs.

Oxfordshire were frustrated by rain and a career-best 91 not out from Herefordshire’s acting-captain Olly Walker when they were within sight of victory at Eastnor in Western Division One.

After a delayed start Herefordshire were soon deep in trouble at 41 for six but Walker and Luke Powell then dug in and added 107 in a defiant seventh wicket partnership.

Herefordshire, who were 451 to win, were 168 for eight when the rain arrived and wiped out most of the final session.

Pace bowler Eesha Nadeem, a product of Warwickshire’s pathway system, impressed with a five wicket haul on debut for Oxfordshire.

Defending Western Division champions Berkshire were also left seeking their first win of the season after they drew for the second time, the latest against Cornwall at Truro.

Rain wiped out the morning session and dogged batting from Cornwall then further frustrated Berkshire despite three wickets apiece for Andy Rishton and Charlie Dunnett.

Cornwall eventually declared on 173 for eight – a lead of 274 – after acting captain Will MacVicar had curbed his attacking instincts to bat more than two hours for 28 with similar stoic innings from Alex Bone (26), Xavie Clarke (27) and Jake Rowe (23 not out).

Norfolk seamer Andy Hanby took career-best match figures of 11 for 78 to bowl his side to a 218 runs win over Northumberland at Sprowston in Eastern Division Two.

Captain Harry Crawshaw (54) and John Oswell (42) provided two pockets of resistance but Hanby again enjoyed himself at Norfolk’s new home to finish with five for 39 and the second ten wicket match haul of his career.

Crawshaw’s dismissal, bowled by off-spinner Hamidullah Qadri, triggered a collapse which saw Northumberland lose their last five wickets for 22 in ten overs after lunch.

Hertfordshire and Cumbria shared the honours in a hard-fought draw at Bishops Stortford.

Former Derbyshire all-rounder Archie Harrison made his maiden century in Hertfordshire’s second innings 287 for six declared which set Cumbria a target of 300.

They were on course when Ben Walkden made a career-best 90 and even more so when Freddie Fallows thumped 54 from 33 balls including four sixes.

But Hertfordshire captain Ben Waring chipped away with four wickets to add to three he took in the first innings and Cumbria called off the chase with Drew Postlethwaite (30 not out) seeing them safely to the draw.

There was a nerve-jangling finish at Alderley Edge where Cheshire held on for a draw with Wiltshire in Western Division Two with their last pair at the crease.

A career-best 109 from Jake Goodwin helped Wiltshire to a declaration at 348 for nine which challenged Cheshire to make 325 for victory.

Cheshire were given an excellent start with Ryan O’Brien (46) and Tom Hafil (62) opening with a partnership of 72 and Luke McCoy’s 72 keeping them firmly in the hunt.

But after Wiltshire spinners Jack Mynott and Joe King, who shared six wickets, began to make inroads, Cheshire had to battle for the draw with Henry Wilson, who finished 41 not out, marshalling the resistance.

With every fielder clustered around the bat Cheshire lost Dan Wilson LBW to Ed Young to the final ball of the match which left last man Andy Dufty to block out the last ball and secure four points for the draw.

NCCA Cluberly Championship

Last day of three

Eastern Division One

Sawston: Suffolk 299-9 (Ben Parker 90, Wayne White 5-77) & 235-9 dec (Henry Bevan 64 not out, George Darlow 5-79),Cambridgeshire 142 (Ben Claydon 53) & 268-5 (Ben Claydon 101 not out, Wayne White 60). Cambridgeshire (8pts) drew with Suffolk (11pts.

Checkley: Lincolnshire 246 (Jordan Cook 68, Sam Atkinson 5-70) & 263 (Tom Keast 61, Sam Evans 49, Tom Brett 5-54),Staffordshire 218 (Michael Hill 93 not out, Alex Moor 5-59) & 295-3 (Matt Morris 113 not out, Michael Hill 87 not out, Tom Moulton 50). Staffordshire (21pts) beat Lincolnshire (6pts) by seven wickets.

Western Division One

Truro: Cornwall 394-8 dec (Alex Blake 208, Xavie Clarke 95) & 173-8 dec, Berkshire 293 (Dan Lincoln 72, Rhys Lewis 65, Will MacVicar 6-111). Cornwall (12pts) drew with Berkshire (10pts)

Eastnor: Oxfordshire 398-9 (Freddie Smith 125 not out, Luke Maslen 87) & 275-6 dec (George Tait 93, Luke Maslen 72, James Rudge 4-58, Herefordshire 223 (Ollie Walker 84, Hasan Mahmood 72, Max Mannering 4-55) & 168-8 (Olly Walker 91 not out, Eesha Nadeem 5-61). Herefordshire (9pts) drew with Oxfordshire (12pts).

Eastern Division Two

Bishops Stortford: Hertfordshire 279 (Jack Plom 50) & 287-6 dec (Archie Harrison 113, Ben Clifford 54 not out), Cumbria 267 (Drew Postlethwaite 55) & 226-6 (Ben Walkden 90, Freddie Fallows 54, Ben Waring 4-55). Hertfordshire (11pts) drew with Cumbria (10pts).

Sprowston: Norfolk 249-9 (Alfie Cooper 80, Charlie Hood 59, Joe Stuart 5-44, Callum Fletcher 4-81) & 244-8 dec (Sam Arthurton 107, Ethan Metcalf 83), Northumberland 103 (Andy Hanby 6-39) & 176 (Harry Crawshaw 54, Andy Hanby 5-39). Norfolk (22pts) beat Northumberland (4pts) by 218 runs.

Western Division Two

Alderley Edge: Wiltshire 239 (Jack Mynott 55, Luke Young 6-75) & 348-9 dec (Jake Goodwin 109, Jack Mynott 105, Ed Young 56, Seb Botes 4-82), Cheshire 263-8 (David Wainwright 82, Luke Young 73 not out) & 274-9 (Luke McCoy 72, Tom Hafil 62). Cheshire (10pts) drew with Wiltshire (9pts).

Finished on Monday:

Wimborne: Shropshire 130 (Mo Abbas 4-19) & 137 (Mo Abbas 5-31), Dorset 307-9 (Ed Ellis 87 not out). Dorset (23pts) beat Shropshire (4pts) by an innings and 40 runs.

📸 Paul Williams