NCCA T20 Competition 2024 Review - Week 2 Part 2

George Hargrave wrote another chapter in Shropshire’s record books with a spectacular century that clinched their place in the new Super 12 stage of the National Counties T20 competition.

Hargrave made 129 from just 44 balls to take Shropshire to an eight wickets victory over Wales NC in the second match of their double-header at St Asaph.

The former Oxford University batter became the first Shropshire player to score a century in the competition having made the first double century for the county in the three-day National Counties Championship against Dorset last summer.

Hargrave reached his century from 34 balls and struck 13 sixes and seven fours in his innings which helped Shropshire to make light work of passing Wales’ highest total in the competition – 192 for five – with almost six overs to spare.

It was Shropshire’s highest successful run chase in the competition and completed a double on the day over a young Wales side who finished bottom of Group Four having lost all six of their matches. Half-centuries from Henry Hurle and Jude Wright in the second match were their highlights from the first county match at St Asaph.

Hargrave warmed up by making 65 not out in the day’s opener which took Shropshire to a six wickets win in pursuit of a more modest target of 134.

Despite Hargrave’s efforts, Shropshire missed out on top spot in the group as they were overtaken by Oxfordshire on superior net run rate.

Oxfordshire powered past Herefordshire by nine wickets in the second match at Brockhampton thanks to a violent 79 not out from Sussex left-hander Harrison Ward who pummelled nine sixes and three fours.

Oxfordshire will now host one of the three Super 12 tournaments, each featuring three counties, on May 19.

Herefordshire also made the cut as one of two best third-placed sides having beaten Oxfordshire by ten runs in a low-scoring opening match where they held their nerve against a later counter-attack from Jonny Cater (39 from 36 balls).

Oxfordshire included Sussex left-arm seamer Sean Hunt in their side for both matches and he returned figures of one for 22 in the opener and two for 32 in the second.

Staffordshire’s reign as T20 champions came to a soggy end after both of their matches against Cumbria at Carlisle were abandoned well before the scheduled start time.

Cumbria banked two points and finished top of Group One while Staffordshire finished in third and were left to rue their defeat by Northumberland in the second match on Sunday as they missed out on a Super 12 place on their net run rate which was inferior to Herefordshire and Cambridgeshire who finished third in Group Two.

Northumberland clinched second place by beating Cheshire by four wickets in the opening match at Oxton thanks to a half-century from former Leicestershire batter Jacques du Toit.

Cheshire gained revenge in the second match with their 13 runs victory being based on useful contributions from Sam Perry (44) and Will Money (41) which helped them to 193 for eight. Ali Appleby made a half century and du Toit a brisk 39 but Northumberland came up short.

Berkshire topped Group Three by inflicting a 117 runs defeat on Bedfordshire – their highest by runs margin – in the opener at Ampthill.

Solid batting down the order from Matt Dalrymple (40), Josh Lincoln (38), Rhys Lewis (31) and Archie Carter (26) took Berkshire to 192 for nine and Bedfordshire never got to grips with a challenging target.

Off-spinner Euan Woods took three for seven in his four overs, Yash Lakhani and Toby Greatwood took two wickets apiece and Bedfordshire were dismissed for 75, their second lowest total in the competition, despite 30 from Danyaal Khalid.

The second match at Ampthill was washed out as were both matches at Beaconsfield where Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire each banked two points with Hertfordshire progressing to the Super 12 stage by virtue of their better net run rate.

Norfolk won Group Two by beating Cambridgeshire by four wickets in the second match at Exning which took them a point ahead ofLincolnshire who beat Suffolk by eight runs in the opener at Ipswich School. The second match was washed out after eight overs.

Sam Arthurton’s half century helped Norfolk to a target of 163 in the opener at Exning while former Suffolk opener Ben Claydon continued his excellent start to his Cambridgeshire career with 72 in a six wickets victory in the opener and 42 in the second match which helped them through the group stage.

Joe Pocklington’s 49 not out gave Lincolnshire the edge in the opener at Ipswich while Alex Maynard provided some encouragement for Suffolk in a winless campaign with 43 in each match.

Cornwall, runners-up last season, won Group Five by beating Wiltshire in the opener at the South Wilts club in Salisbury.

Wiltshire, whose campaign was blighted by bad weather, were dismissed for 89 with Max Tryfonos and Ellis Whiteford sharing six wickets.

Former Kent left-hander Alex Blake made light work of the chase with 71 not out from 34 balls which Cornwall home with more than 11 overs unused.

The second match was completely washed out.

Dorset went though to the Super 12s as runners-up after they beat Devon by ten runs under the DLS Method in the opener at Wimborne.

Devon were dismissed for 93 with slow left-armer Connor Smith taking three for 24 and Jacob Gordon and Tom Varney sharing four wickets.

Dorset were well on course for victory at 71 for three in the 14^th over when the rain arrived and ended play with the second match of the day being washed out.

The venues and line-ups for the Super 12 stage of the competition on May 19 will be confirmed shortly.

National Counties T20

Group One

Carlisle: Cumbria v Staffordshire. Both matches abandoned.

Oxton: Cheshire 142-7 (Sam Perry 65), Northumberland 143-6 (Jacques du Toit 51). Northumberland won by four wickets. Cheshire 193-8 (Sam Perry 44, Will Money 41), Northumberland 180-8 (Alasdair Appleby 56). Cheshire won by 13 runs.

Group Two

Exning: Norfolk 163-6 (Ben Wilcox 59), Cambridgeshire 164-4 (Ben Claydon 72). Cambridgeshire won by six wickets. Cambridgeshire 162-8 (Ben Claydon 42, Brett Stolworthy 3-28), Norfolk 163-6 (Sam Arthurton 60). Norfolk won by four wickets.

Ipswich School: Lincolnshire 166-5 (Joe Pocklington 49 not out), Suffolk 158-7 (Alex Maynard 43). Lincolnshire won by eight runs.Suffolk 84-2 (Alex Maynard 43) v Lincolnshire. No result.

Group Three

Ampthill: Berkshire 192-9 (Matt Dalrymple 40, Alex Evans 4-31), Bedfordshire 75 (Euan Woods 3-7). Berkshire won by 117 runs. Second match abandoned.

Beaconsfield: Buckinghamshire v Hertfordshire. Both matches abandoned.

Group Four

Brockhampton: Herefordshire 105-8, Oxfordshire 95-8. Herefordshire won by ten runs. Herefordshire 122 (Jujhar Johal 41), Oxfordshire 125-1 (Harrison Ward 79 not out). Oxfordshire won by nine wickets.

St Asaph: Wales NC 133-6 (Brad Wadlan 45, Steffan Roberts 40, Joe Stanley 3-18), Shropshire 135-4 (George Hargrave 65 not out, Tom Fell 45). Shropshire won by six wickets. Wales NC 192-5 (Henry Hurle 77, Jude Wright 53), Shropshire 196-2 (George Hargrave 129 not out). Shropshire won by eight wickets.

Group Five

South Wilts CC: Wiltshire 89 (Max Tryfonos 3-12, Ellis Whiteford 3-22), Cornwall 91-0 (Alex Blake 71 not out). Cornwall won by ten wickets. Second match abandoned.

Wimborne: Devon 93 (Connor Smith 3-24), Dorset 71-3. Dorset won by ten runs (DLS). Second match abandoned.