Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023 - Match Reports, Reactions and Scorecards for 20th August

Worcestershire Rapids are through to the knockout stages of the Metro Bank One Day Cup after completing a comprehensive eight wicket success over Sussex Sharks at New Road.

The Rapids ensured a top three spot with a sixth win in eight group games after dismissing the Sharks in 45.5 overs and then knocking off their 191 target in just 26.4 overs to give their net run-rate a massive lift.

They maintained a grip with the ball after Dillon Pennington and Matthew Waite picked up a trio of scalps in the initial powerplay with spinner Josh Baker’s three wickets taking his tally to 15 in the competition.

Danial Ibrahim’s List A best score of 51 provided the most resistance but the Sharks total was well below par after they chose to bat.

Gareth Roderick and Azhar Ali then ensured there would be few alarms for the Rapids after laying the foundations during an opening stand of 82.

Azhar, 74, and Kashif Ali, with a 26 ball half century, then added a further 93 in 8.3 overs.

Worcestershire will have to wait until the conclusion of the group on Tuesday to determine where they exactly finish and whether they have a home or away tie to look forward to.

Worcestershire made two changes from the side which triumphed against Derbyshire at the Incora County Ground on Friday with Azhar and Logan van Beek replacing Ed Pollock and Pat Brown.

Sussex handed debuts to a pair of 19-year-olds in batter Zak Lion-Cachet and off spinner Bertie Foreman.

Sharks captain Tom Haines opted to bat first and his side quickly ran into trouble on the same wicket as which Worcestershire had been reduced to 25-5 in the powerplay against Warwickshire last Sunday.

Waite made the first breakthrough when Harrison Ward was lbw to ball of full length which swung back into his pads.

Pennington shared the new ball and he struck in successive overs.

Tom Alsop played down the wrong line to a ball which nipped away and was pouched at second slip by Baker.

The same combination then accounted for Haines after he drove at Pennington.

Sussex reached 42-3 by the end of the initial powerplay and James Coles and Liam Cachet led a partial recovery during a partnership of 42.

But Worcestershire captain Jake Libby broke the stand with a superb piece of fielding.

Coles played Logan van Beek to mid wicket and set off for a single but he was run out by Libby’s direct hit at the non-striker’s end with only one stump to aim at.

Baker came into the attack and quickly cemented Worcestershire’s position of strength.

Lion-Cachet (34) showed plenty of plenty of promise on his debut before making room to cut and being bowled via the bottom edge.

Charlie Tear then stepped back and chipped a straightforward catch to Rob Jones at extra cover.

Foreman (35) also created a favourable impression on his debut in adding 66 in 14.1 overs with Ibrahim.

He eventually became Baker’s third victim when attempting a switch hit and being bowled behind his legs.

Ibrahim completed his half century from 85 balls with five fours before the innings was wrapped up.

Van Beek had Ibrahim taken at deep square leg and the Netherlands international struck again when Sean Hunt could only find the hands of mid off.

A second run out of the innings polished off proceedings when Brad Currie (0) failed to beat Rob Jones direct hit from backward point attempting a quick single.

Azhar and Roderick were initially watchful in seeing off the new ball attack of Currie and Hunt but gradually started to accelerate.

A cover-drive for four by Roderick at Atkins expense brought up the 50 in the 13^th over.

The stand was broken when Roderick holed out to long on off Foreman but Azhar completed a 61 ball half century with six fours to sustain the momentum.

Kashif Ali, who had smashed 88 off 36 balls against Derbyshire on Friday, continued in the same big-hitting vein.

He struck three maximums off Coles on his way to a --- fifty and, with Azhar stepping up a gear, 93 were added in just 8.4 overs.

Azhar left the field to a standing ovation after he finally holed out to long on off Ibrahim and then Kashif completed the victory with his fifth six, off Atkins,

Worcestershire Assistant Head Coach, Kadeer Ali, said: “Absolutely delighted for the boys. They have worked really hard this year and one of our aims, in the T20 and 50 over competitions, was to get to the knockout stages.

“The biggest thing for me has been the mentality. The lads have been really positive, played with some freedom, and today was a really good example of that.

“We wanted to catch up with the net run rate and have gone out in the second innings and played like that.

“Kashif Ali, Azhar Ali and Gareth Roderick were absolutely superb today and that’s the mentality that has got us going all through the year.

“Surprised they chose to bat? Yes and no. We know the ball does a bit here in the first hour but it was a used wicket, the third game on it, so you could understand why they chose to bat.

“Look, we would have bowled first because we know the first 10-15 overs is crucial and, as you saw last week against Warwickshire, you can easily be three or four wickets down in that period.

“The new ball here is tough work but once you get through that, the wicket gets nice and it is then hard to defend.”

 

Sussex captain Tom Haines said: “We weren’t good enough. Bat, ball and in the field they were better than us. We can’t really say much more than that to be honest.

“Our skills have been poorer than they were last year. Last year we took a lot more wickets during the powerplays and put teams under pressure earlier.

“Batting, we’ve not scored quick enough, especially through the middle overs. We’ve lost early wickets. All those things add up to losing games.

“It’s a whole team thing. We’ve not been good enough. My confidence does take a hit for sure. I still enjoy captaining, I still want to win every game I play.

“But my confidence does take a hit and I think that has maybe shown in the way I’ve batted in the last few games as well.

“It’s something everyone goes through, not just us, and it’s how we try and get out of it that is the most important thing.

“We need to try and give it our best in the last game and then the focus turns to the Championship in September.”

 

 

 

Surrey vs Hampshire, Group A

Openers Joe Weatherley and Fletcha Middleton put on 163 in the Guildford sunshine to sweep Hampshire to a comfortable eight-wicket victory against Surrey and qualification for the Metro Bank One-Day Cup knock-out stages.

Hampshire cruised past Surrey’s 203 all out from 45 overs in just 33.2 overs of their own, boosting their net run rate and keeping them in contention to top Group A and therefore earn a home semi-final. As it is, even if they fail to beat Kent at Newclose on the Isle of Wight on Tuesday, they have already made sure of second place in the group and the guarantee of a home quarter-final.

Weatherley finished with exactly 100 and his partnership with Middleton was a first wicket List A record for Hampshire against Surrey, beating the 57-year-old mark of 128 set by Roy Marshall and Barry Reed at Bournemouth in 1966.

Surrey were heavily beaten for the second time in four days at Woodbridge Road, following their ten-wicket defeat against Lancashire on Thursday. At least this time they took a couple of wickets, with slow left armer Dan Moriarty catching both Middleton and Weatherley off his own bowling.

Middleton, who struck two sixes and six fours, was eventually out for an 88-ball 78 in the 29^th over and Weatherley had just completed a fine hundred when he drove Moriarty low into the bowlers’ hands on 100, made from exactly 100 balls, with 14 fours. Tom Prest, who hit the winning boundary to take Hampshire to 206 for two, ended unbeaten on 24.

In the field, Hampshire were spearheaded by Ian Holland’s List A career-best 5 for 35, with the all-rounder bowling his medium-paced seamers with great skill and control with both the new ball and, later, when wrapping up the tail.

Opener Ryan Patel, who scored 78 from 88 balls with two sixes and six fours, was the only Surrey batsman to assert himself against a disciplined Hamphire attack.

And Surrey’s failure to reach a more competitive total was perhaps the result of an unfortunate incident in the 36^th over of their innings, when Patel pulled Keith Barker flat and hard for six behind square leg and the ball hit a child beyond the boundary rope.

A number of players, including Patel, and the physios of both teams, went across to check on the child’s well-being – happily, he seemed to be fine and was soon receiving precautionary medical attention – and play was halted for a short time.

That stroke had taken Patel to 75 but, in the next over, he still seemed affected by the incident and tamely lifted a catch to cover off Scott Currie and, from 173 for five before Patel’s dismissal, Surrey lost their last five wickets for just 30 runs in little more than eight overs.

McKerr skied a catch off Holland to go for 18 and 19-year-old Tommy Ealham’s debut innings, a sketchy four off 16 balls, ended when the son of former England all-rounder Mark Ealham and grandson of former Kent captain Alan Ealham drove the same bowler to extra cover where Donald held on at the second attempt after athletically keeping the ball up with his knee as he fell to his left.

Griffiths was comprehensively bowled by a full ball from Currie, for five, and the innings ended when Moriarty hit Holland high to mid off where Joseph Eckland judged a swirling ball well as he ran back towards the boundary edge.

Dom Sibley had earlier helped Patel give Surrey a solid start, after Hampshire had opted to bowl first, before on 15 slicing to Barker at point off Holland.

The seamer then had Rory Burns caught behind for 8 in an excellent new ball spell of 7-0-23-2, and Surrey were 68 for three when Ben Geddes (16) edged seamer Dominic Kelly to keeper Ben Brown, diving to his right.

Steel followed seven overs later, for 14, hitting Currie to deep mid wicket, but at least Patel was then joined by Josh Blake in the highest partnership of the innings, 54 from 12 overs, to ensure Surrey had something to defend.

Blake made 29 from 45 balls but was leg-before to Prest’s off spin in the 35^th over as the Surrey batting effort tailed off to the disappointment of Guildford’s second sell-out crowd of 2,000 in four days.

 

Hampshire’s century-maker Joe Weatherley, who was released temporarily from the Manchester Originals to play in this game in place of the injured Nick Gubbins, said: “I haven’t really batted that much in recent times so it was nice just to get the chance to play and to try to do my best for the team.

“I really enjoyed it because, chasing 203, we could go out there and just bat. To be honest, early on I was playing second fiddle to Fletcha [Middleton] who batted beautifully today. When he got out, the message came out to the middle that we should try to put our foot down because of the need to increase our net run rate and so it was nice to then get to my hundred and play some shots.

“As a team we have played brilliantly all through this competition and today it was a clinical performance up front from our bowlers, led by Ian Holland, which set up this win for us. It's great that we've now qualified for the knock-out stage.

“We opted to bowl first because we didn’t really know how the pitch would play this morning but we knew they were below par with their total and for Fletcha and myself it was then just a case of getting ourselves in and making sure we put on a good partnership.”

 

Surrey’s top-scorer Ryan Patel said: “It’s again not the result we would have wanted, after losing here against Lancashire on Thursday, but I think there was a small improvement today and in the chat we’ve just had in the dressing room we’ve stressed that it is important for us to do well in our last Metro Bank One-Day Cup group game at Essex on Tuesday.

“Things have not gone our way in this competition but we can still finish off with a strong performance, to set up the rest of the season.

“I felt good out there in the middle today and I was trying to give myself a little bit more time because, as against Lancashire a few days ago, there was something in it for the bowlers up front and – like Lancashire with Will Williams – they had two very experienced seamers in Ian Holland and Keith Barker bowling with the new ball who knew just where to put it in those conditions.

“It was not a very nice incident when the little lad was hit by that six I hit and it did affect me a bit because you never want to see anyone hit in the crowd, and particularly a young child. But it’s good to know he’s okay and that’s really the most important thing.”

 

Leicestershire vs Yorkshire, Group A

Leicestershire Foxes wrapped up their Metro Bank One-Day Cup group fixtures with a six-wicket victory over Yorkshire Vikings at Grace Road - but they will have to wait until Tuesday to know whether seven wins from eight will be enough to take them directly to a home semi-final as Group A winners.

Hampshire’s win over Surrey means they can still equal Leicestershire’s points tally by beating Kent in a home fixture on Tuesday, which would leave net run-rate to determine the final placings.  Whoever finishes second will have to first win a home quarter-final next Friday to stay in the competition.

Half-centuries by overseas stars Peter Handscomb and Wiaan Mulder enabled Leicestershire to chase down Yorkshire’s 184 all out with 46 balls remaining after Matt Salisbury (three for 28) and Chris Wright (three for 31) had been the Foxes’ stand-out bowlers.

The Vikings risked a more humbling defeat until a ninth-wicket stand of 75 between Dom Bess (40) and Ben Coad (45) - career-best List A scores for both - rescued Yorkshire from 91 for eight, but the defeat combined with Lancashire’s win at Lord’s ends their chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages via a top-three finish.

Wright had Yorkshire on the back foot from the start by reducing them to 24 for three in eight overs after Leicestershire had to rethink their bowling plans with two of their leading competition wicket-takers - Josh Hull and Tom Scriven - sidelined with a stomach bug.

After the Foxes had won the toss, Wright had Harry Duke caught behind as he under-edged a ball outside off stump before Shan Masood and Will Luxton departed from consecutive balls, the left-handed Masood squared up a little and taken at slip, the right-handed Luxton comprehensively bowled by one that seemed to come back sharply.

Until the Bess-Coad fightback, losing regular wickets stymied Yorkshire’s attempts to build momentum. Salisbury, first change at the Bennett End as Wright took a breather with figures of three for 12, struck with his third ball as Fin Bean played across one that thudded into the front pad.

Bean and James Wharton built something of a platform, adding 36 in seven overs, but the Vikings stalled again after Bean’s dismissal, losing Wharton to a catch at deep midwicket followed by George Hill, who pushed at one from Salisbury to be caught behind.

Salisbury picked up a third wicket when Ben Mike, facing his former team-mates, was leg before to a delivery that kept a touch low before Will Davis - on his first 50-over call-up of the season - had Matthew Revis caught at short midwicket.

With no front-line spinner to call on with Rehan Ahmed, Callum Parkinson and Colin Ackermann all attached to Hundred franchises, skipper Lewis Hill stuck with his five seamers, but Bess and Coad looked comfortable until Bess, attempting to paddle-scoop Wiaan Mulder, shovelled the ball into the gloves of wicketkeeper Handscomb.

Hill finally turned to Louis Kimber, a part-time spinner but one who had a four-for with his off-breaks in this competition last year. Kimber took only three overs to claim the last Yorkshire wicket, beating Coad’s expansive swing for Handscomb to execute a stumping.

It had not looked like a pitch conducive to clean hitting, yet openers Rishi Patel and Sol Budinger perhaps understandably chose not to deviate from the aggressive approach that had brought between them 673 runs in the competition.

It backfired this time as both were out inside the first 15 balls of the Foxes innings, Patel miscuing George Hill to mid-on before Budinger, aiming to smear Coad over midwicket, was caught by wicketkeeper Duke after the ball left his bat vertically.

Handscomb and Hill adopted a more cautious policy but after a dozen overs of pushing the scoreboard along steadily at a required rate of just over 3.5 runs an over, Hill was given out leg before trying to work a ball from Coad.

The scoring rate went up sharply when Handscomb was joined by Mulder, bringing two in-form batters to the crease. After Aussie Handscomb completed his fifth half-century in the competition so far, adding a pull for six off Mike to four boundaries, Leicestershire were 110 for three after 25 overs, needing 75 to win in the second half of the innings.

Dom Bess broke their partnership when Handscomb went to turn him down the leg side and feathered a catch through to Duke but Mulder soon completed his fourth fifty in the competition off 73 balls with five fours before Kimber hoisted Jack Shutt’s off spin for six over midwicket and then hammered the winning boundary off Mike.

Australian wicketkeeper-batter Peter Handscomb, who top-scored for Leicestershire Foxes with 60, said:

“It wasn’t the best of pitches, probably a bit slower and lower than it had been on Friday, and chases of that kind can be quite tough. I thought Yorkshire bowled well, so to win quite convincingly with a few overs and a fair few wickets in hand gives a nice boost to the boys ahead of the quarter-final or semi-final, whichever it is.

“We lost two of our bowlers overnight to a sickness bug and I think the guys that came in got a call about 6.30 or seven o’clock this morning to come in and strap the boots on, and credit to them for the way they played to play well in a tournament and make finals it is always going to be a squad mentality.

“That’s been a feature of how we have played in that it hasn’t been one person standing up each time, it has been different guys at different times, and that’s been really impressive.

“Dom Bess and Ben Coad played well for them to get it up to a competitive total but our guys didn’t panic, they stuck to bowling their best ball, knowing that eventually it would be the one that would get us the wicket. The way the bowling group have performed the last couple of games has taken the pressure off the batters and allowed us to just go out there and get the runs.

“When we batted, we’ve seen how destructive Rishi and Sol have been at the top of the order throughout this competition. It didn’t come off for them today and it is not going to happen every game. But Hilly and I had time to steady the ship before the other guys turned on the power at the back end.”

Yorkshire head coach Ottis Gibson said:

“I’m a little bit frustrated and disappointed after that performance. If you look at all the guys that have been away with England and The Hundred, this squad of players represents the best of the rest of what we have at Yorkshire, so I definitely expected a better showing over the last couple of games and it hasn’t happened.

“We are trying to give our young batters who are trying to make their way in the game as many opportunities as possible. You learn from every opportunity but ultimately you have to apply the learnings to the next opportunity.

“You have to correct the mistakes you have made. You can’t keep on making the same mistakes, especially against a team that is top of the league, like Leicester, who are playing very well.

“The job of the top order is to get through the new ball and lay the foundation that allows the middle order to flourish and we haven’t done that. You need one or two players to get starts and we haven’t had that.

“They had two guys in Handscomb and Mulder who got in and went on to get fifties and that’s the difference. In a situation where it is tough scoring conditions, if you have someone who gets 80 off 100 balls or whatever, you get to 220, which on that pitch today would have given us a lot more to work with.”

Kent vs Essex, Group A

A star turn from 17-year-old Jaydn Denly helped the Kent Spitfires to a 60-run victory over Essex in the Metro Bank Cup at Canterbury.

Jack Leaning hit a brilliant 137 from 127 balls and Ben Compton made 65 as Kent recovered from a middle-order collapse to post 287 for eight, but it was Denly, playing in the same team as his uncle Joe for the first time, who stole the show by claiming a wicket, a run out and an outrageous catch, as well as finishing as Kent’s third highest run scorer with 37.

Will Buttleman made an unbeaten 50 and Feroze Khushi hit exactly 50 for Essex but the visitors lost wickets too frequently to mount a credible run chase and they were all out for 227, with 5.1 overs remaining.

Grant Stewart, Hamid Qadri and Matt Parkinson all took two wickets for the Spitfires.

History was made at the Spitfire Ground on Sunday, where Joe and Jaydn became the first uncle and nephew to play since the modern club was formed in 1870, and the first since Fuller Pilch and his nephew William appeared together for the “Grand Old Kent XI” 41 times between 1838 and 1854.

In front of a crowd of 2400 Kent chose to bat, but for a third consecutive game they threw away a promising start, having been 130 for one at halfway.

With Daniel Bell-Drummond back on Hundred duty, Uncle Joe opened, but he was the first wicket to fall when he edged Aaron Beard behind for 17.

Compton and Jack Leaning put on 98 for the second wicket, but after what by his standards was a fairly rapid half-century the former was caught behind off Beau Webster in the 25^th.

Webster then bowled Alex Blake for one and Beard strangled Harry Finch down the leg side for seven.

Jaydn Denly joined Leaning to steer Kent past 200 but he was bowled for 37 attempting to sweep Webster and Kent’s hopes of passing 300 vanished in the 43^rd over, when Aron Nijjar struck twice.

Grant Stewart was out first ball when he played on and Hamid Qadri had made just one when he chipped the bowler to Webster.

When Matt Quinn then drove Richards straight to Nijjar at mid-on four wickets had fallen for five runs in 10 balls, 250 looked a long way off and Leaning was in danger of running out of partners until Jas Singh came in and played the Jack Leach role. Smart running between the wickets saw Leaning to the brink of three figures, which he reached when he punched Beard for a single through mid-on and he then launched an assault in the last two overs.

The 29^th, bowled by Ben Allison, went for 13 and a pivotal 27 then came of the 50th, with Leaning hitting Beard for three leg-side sixes and Singh ending on two not out after a match-turning unbeaten stand of 69 from 44 legitimate balls.

Essex were 33 without loss in reply when Luc Benkenstein was run out by Jaydn Denly chasing a second.

Quinn then nearly had Tom Westley caught behind for a duck and although the ball came lose as the diving Finch hit he ground, he was caught behind off Stewart for two in the next over, the seventh.

Webster came in and put some pressure back on the bowlers, but he was out for 26 from 25 balls when Jaydn Denly had him caught at long on by Blake.

The younger Denly then produced what was arguably the game’s champagne moment when he took a sensational diving catch to remove Khushi, who’d just reached 50 and was trying to hit Matt Parkinson through cow corner.

Hamid Qadri struck with only his fourth ball, when he had Noah Thain caught by Stewart at mid-off for 141, before claiming the key wicket of Charlie Allison, lbw for 44.

Parkinson trapped Ben Allison lbw for seven in the 38^th and in the next over Beard went in the same fashion to Leaning for two.

Leaning then caught and bowled Jamal Richards with his next delivery and although Buttleman hit the hat-trick ball for six Kent sealed the win when Stewart had Nijjar caught by the sub fielder Nathan Gilchrist.

Kent remain in the hunt for a place for the knock-out stages, but will probably need to win at Hampshire on Tuesday and hope results elsewhere in Group A go their way.

Kent’s Jack Leaning said: “I think we ended up with a really good score in the end. We probably thought it was more towards a 300 pitch, slightly better than the one we played on the other day so when we lost those wickets in the middle it was important that at least one of us took stock and that one of us was there at the end, which is probably where we’ve fallen down in the last couple of games and we’ve missed out on those big overs towards the back end.

“I enjoyed it, I think an innings like that has been coming for a while. It’s been quite a frustrating year, I’ve had a lot of starts and scores where I’ve not gone on, so it was really important for me to get stuck in and put in a match -winning performance for the team. I tried to play quite smartly towards the end with Jas and pick up as many twos as I could, try and keep the strike and make sure I targeted the last couple of overs. Luckily today it came off.

“Jas played his part perfectly. It’s a partnership, you need two people out there and he played his part really smartly. He blocked the balls that he needed to and ran really hard to get me on strike as well.

“I got my highest List A score when I was quite young so it was about time I broke it to be honest. It just knock-out cricket now for however long we go into it.”

 

Kent’s Joe Denly said: “It was pretty cool (to be playing with Jaydn). I didn’t really think too much about it this morning to be honest. I think I was more nervous in his first couple of games because I wanted him to look the part and not look out of his depth, but I think he’s grown every game.

“His confidence is getting better and better. With the bat that was a really mature innings he played, given the position we were in, to hang around with Jack. They got a really good partnership there. He’s a really good, promising, all-round cricketer. With the ball as well and in the field he got a great run out and a great catch so I’m chuffed to bits for him.

“It was (an emotional occasion) handing his cap to him at The Oval. I’ve presented a few caps but this one was a little bit different and I suppose there were more emotions involved. It was a really proud moment for all the family.

(When he was hit in the collar bone off Jaydn’s bowling.)

“He thought I’d made a meal of it. There was a chance when Khushi chipped Quinny over mid-off and I didn’t quite get there. He reminded me that ten tears ago that I might have got there!”

(On Jaydn’s spectacular catch of Khushi) “You’re supposed to take those when you’re 17.”

 

Essex’s Anthony McGrath said: “I think generally we’re disappointed with how it’s gone. We know we’re threadbare with the squad and we had a few young players, but still, when you’re playing for Essex and representing Essex we expect to win games no matter what team we put out.

“I just think we’ve been sloppy throughout the tournament. The youngsters who’ve come in have done really well but probably if we’re honest the senior lads we’ve got, lads with a bit more experience have not really gone well and it’s affected the overall team performance.

“It’s the same story, we’ve been in games and we’ve had a bad four or five overs with the ball or with the bat when we’ve lost clusters of wickets. Again today we thought we could have chased them down but we got ourselves in good positions and ten lost wickets, so it’s very, very frustrating.

“It can happen, particularly with the team we’ve put out, but we expect better.

“It was good to have Feroze back, it was such a disappointment that he got injured in the Surrey game and missed finals day and a couple of championship games. He looked class today and showed what we’ve missed at the top of the order.

“Charlie Allison has been superb. I think if you just look how he’s gone about it, his level of performance for someone who’s hardly played second team cricket never mind first team has really been superb throughout the whole thing. He hasn’t been overawed, hasn’t looked out of place and he keeps putting in performances.”

 

Northamptonshire vs Derbyshire, Group B

Matt Lamb hit a courageous, unbeaten 63 to help Derbyshire come from behind to seal a nail-biting four-wicket victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks in this Metro Bank One Day Cup clash at Wantage Road.

Batting in pain with an injured back, Lamb soaked up the pressure as Derbyshire struggled to force the pace on an increasingly sluggish pitch before pressing the accelerator.

Just four boundaries came in the first 37 overs of the chase, but Lamb’s stand of 77 in 18.2 overs with Brooke Guest provided a vital foundation. For most of their time together, the pair looked comfortable, but were unable to locate the boundary ropes.

Lamb though began to move through the gears. The Falcons needed 59 off the last 10 overs and reduced the target further to 26 from the last 30 balls. Joined by a proactive Anuj Dal (20), Lamb took the visitors to within 21 of their target.

The momentum shifted back in Northamptonshire’s favour after Luke Procter conceded just one run off the 46^th over and Dal was caught off Ben Sanderson with 20 balls remaining.

Alex Thomson though hit Tom Taylor down the ground for four, leaving Derbyshire needing 10 off the last two overs. Lamb and Thomson both struck a boundary off Sanderson to win the game with an over to spare.

Defeat ends Northamptonshire’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of this year’s tournament.

Earlier Sam Conners (3-32) accounted for Luke Procter (39) and Lewis McManus (21) in consecutive overs while Thomson (3-41) removed the key wicket of the dangerous Tom Taylor who has scored two centuries so far in this tournament. Northamptonshire had a lower order flurry of runs from James Sales and Jack White to thank for pushing them up to a competitive 201.

Derbyshire won the toss and took two early wickets when Emilio Gay inside edged a ball from Harry Moore onto his stumps and Ricardo Vasconcelos drove Conners to cover.

Sam Whiteman (14) unfurled a couple of graceful cover drives to take Northamptonshire past 50 before he was next to go when he cut Luis Reece straight to point.

Rob Keogh hit a pleasant 30, steering Moore through the legside and driving and cutting Mark Watt’s slow left arm deliveries before he was caught and bowled by off-spinner Thomson to leave Northamptonshire 79 for four after 20 overs.

McManus and Procter attempted to rebuild and while both deployed the sweep to locate the boundary, they were otherwise content to rotate the strike, putting on 48 in 12.3 overs. When McManus accelerated though, playing a lofted on-drive against Watt for four, he was caught behind when he chased a wide one from Conners.

Procter had dug in happy to play the anchor role and let others bat around him, hitting just one boundary in his 39 off 69 balls. His downfall came against Conners, when he played against type, attempting a wild drive towards the legside, only for the ball to dislodge the off-bail.

Thomson then removed Taylor and Simon Kerrigan cheaply in consecutive overs as both players were bowled attempting to reverse sweep.

White and Sales then combined in an enterprising ninth wicket stand of 43 in 8.2 overs. White (21) was positive front the start, striking Thomson through midwicket and sending a huge six in the same direction before he too was bowled playing the reverse sweep, this time against Watt. Sanderson was the last man to go, bowled by Reece, leaving Sales not out on 35, his highest score in List A cricket.

As the Falcons began their chase, Reece cut Sanderson away for a couple of boundaries and put on 33 with Harry Came in the first nine overs.

The momentum shifted suddenly as Derbyshire became becalmed, losing three wickets for 28 in the next 10 overs against some disciplined Steelbacks bowling, underlining how difficult it was to score.

First Came chipped a ball from Sanderson to mid-off where Keogh took a good catch. Tom Wood supported Reece for a while but was next to go when he drove Taylor straight to cover. Haider Ali then came down the pitch to Keogh and drilled the ball straight to mid-off to leave Derbyshire 61 for three after 18 overs.

Reece who had pulled Sanderson authoritatively for four, also found it difficult to force the pace and eventually fell lbw to Keogh for 34.

That brought Guest and Lamb together in a vital stand. Eventually, with no boundary since the 21^st over, Guest found the ropes in the 38^th when he hit Keogh over extra cover.

With 59 needed off the last 10 overs, Lamb drove Taylor powerfully down the pitch for four, but lost his partner when White knocked over Guest’s leg bail as he attempted a big swing to leg.

Anuj Dal smashed four boundaries and kept Derbyshire up with the run rate, before he fell to a stunning diving catch by Vasconcelos off Sanderson, leaving Lamb and Thomson to see Derbyshire home.

Northamptonshire seamer Ben Sanderson said: “I think we can be proud of how we fought back in that second half. I think that was a very good performance from our bowlers. I’ve not seen many teams be that consistent whenever a different bowler came on. They just hit that hard line and length and it showed it was challenging.

“We thought the pitch was a bit slow when we were batting on it. It was sticking in the pitch a little bit. We still felt we were well short. We wanted to try and load up with wickets for the back end, but obviously that didn't happen. Every time we tried to play an aggressive shot, we seemed to lose a wicket. So, we were probably 20 runs short on that pitch in the end. But we figured out pretty quickly where we needed to bowl and what we needed to do, and we nailed it.

“It’s a big disappointment not to qualify for the knockout stages. It was something we felt that we could do quite easily. Obviously, the loss of Prithvi Shaw really hit us hard. And nobody really stood up and took on that role once he'd got his injury. So, we’re disappointed to go out like we have. But at the halfway stage today, we still put on a show and nearly got over the line.”

Derbyshire batter Matt Lamb said: “It was tough out there. I think our lads bowled phenomenally well. The two lads in particular, at the top. I know Sammy [Conners] has played a lot of first-class cricket, but he’s not played much white ball cricket and I thought he bowled beautifully and set the tone at the top of the bowling innings with young Harry Moore.

“So, a brilliant performance with the ball and it was nice to get a few runs and get the win.

“I feel like there wasn’t one player who played fluently throughout the day. Tough wicket, definitely. It was very slow, especially against spin and they’ve got a slower attack than our lads. So, there was no pace to work with, it was very tough.

“I thought if I stay in, we’ll probably win the game. I think Anuj Dal’s 20 probably changed the momentum of the game. It [that kind of innings] doesn’t always get the headlines, but I really think that did change the momentum. Him and Thommo [Alex Thomson] deserve a lot of credit.

“I’ve obviously got this issue with my back. It’s fine, I’ll get through the season no problem, but there obviously is a slight issue there. I think at times it maybe looks worse than what it is. It's not ideal. But we'll get through the season no problem and we can adjust the issue in the offseason. But yeah, it was just nice to contribute. It’s been a long time coming. A very frustrating season. A very strange season actually, not probably had one quite like this. So, it’s nice to get a not out and get the boys over the line for sure.”

Somerset vs Glamorgan, Group B

Eddie Byrom notched a maiden List A century against his former club as Glamorgan beat Somerset by two wickets in a battle of the Metro Bank One Day Cup Group B also rans at Taunton.

The home side posted 298 for seven after winning the toss, opener Andy Umeed scoring 116 off 136 balls, with 9 fours and 3 sixes. Nineteen-year-old off-spinner Ben Kellaway was the pick of the Glamorgan attack with three for 49.

In reply, the visitors made 301 for eight from 47.1 overs, Byrom striking 108 from 103 deliveries on the ground where he launched his county career. Kiran Carlson contributed 75 to a third-wicket stand of 142, while Billy Root hit 74 not out.

It was only Glamorgan’s third group win in seven games, while for Somerset a fifth defeat continued a disappointing campaign.  

George Thomas ensured a brisk start to Somerset’s innings, lifting a six over fine leg off the second ball of the second over, sent down by Ruaidhri Smith, on his way to an attractive 41 off 28 balls.

Tim van der Gugten made a much-needed breakthrough for Glamorgan in the ninth over when Thomas was well caught low down by Smith at mid-on with the total on 60.

Umeed and Lewis Goldsworthy then put together a century stand in good time, Umeed moving to a stylish half-century off 66 balls, and Goldsworthy lending solid support as they took the score to 173 in the 32^nd over.

When Goldsworthy holed out to deep square off Zain-ul-Hassan with his side looked set to make well in excess of 300. But Carlson began Glamorgan’s fightback by running out James Rew and Kellaway had begun a telling spell from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End.

The young spinner maintained an exemplary line and length to send back Sean Dickson, Umeed and Josh Thomas, preventing a late acceleration and keeping his side well in the game.

It was left to Danny Lamb (41) and George Bartlett (35 not out) to bolster Somerset’s score, but it looked no more than par on a true pitch with the sun out.

Glamorgan’s initial response was to lose two wickets in as many overs, Sam Northeast bowled between bat and pad by Jack Brooks and Colin Ingram brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Rew, diving full length, off Ned Leonard to make it 13 for two.

But soon Byrom and Carlson were counter-attacking with a flurry of boundaries, Carlson greeting the introduction of J.T.Langridge with a six over backward point in the left-arm seamer’s first over.

Langridge’s first two overs went for 28 as the Glamorgan pair took the total to 88 for two after ten. Carlson raced to fifty off 29 balls, with 6 fours and 3 sixes, and Byrom soon followed, off 38 deliveries, with 10 fours.

The hundred stand occupied less than 12 overs as Somerset’s bowlers were put to the sword, not aided by some sloppy ground fielding. It was a surprise when with the score on 155, Carlson carelessly cut a catch to point off Lamb.

Byrom continued on his merry way and was on 80 when a shower interrupted play at 185 for three, with Glamorgan needing less than five an over.

The rain soon passed and an edge to third man for his 16^th four took Byrom to his first List A hundred off 94 balls as Glamorgan closed in rapidly on their target, Root contributing a valuable 44-ball half-century.

Byrom was finally bowled by occasional leg-spinner Umeed, his first List A wicket. Kellaway, Alex Horton, ul Hassan and van der Gugten fell cheaply in the closing stages, Umeed finishing with three for 31, but Root stayed calm to see Glamorgan home.

 

Glamorgan’s Eddie Byrom said: “To score my first List A hundred here was special because Somerset played such a big part in my development as a cricketer and I have so many happy memories of the place.

“There was some fantastic cricket played today and the game swung one way then another. We gave them a sniff at the end, but Billy Root played a great knock to see us over the line.

“When we lost two wickets early there was no point in going into our shells. Kiran Carlson and I went for our shots and managed to put the bowlers under pressure.”

 

After scoring a hundred and claiming his first three List A wickets, Somerset’s Andy Umeed said: “Scoring a century is always a great feeling and I love playing in front of the crowd here at Taunton.

“Equally, it’s always disappointing to lose, especially in our last home game in the competition this season and on what was Family Day at the ground.

“I’ve worked on my bowling in the background over time, but opportunities are few and far between because we have some quality spinners at the club. The pitch was turning a bit today, which helped me."

Middlesex vs Lancashire, Group A

Lancashire pair George Lavelle and Matthew Hurst both smashed career-best scores in a whirlwind century partnership to set up their side’s 10-run victory over Middlesex and keep them on course for a Metro Bank One-Day Cup knockout spot.

Lavelle struck 72 from 53 balls, with 19-year-old Hurst racking up 66 from 42 as the pair put on 131 in just 81 deliveries – a Red Rose sixth-wicket record against Middlesex – to steer the visitors to 303 for seven at Lord’s.

Their late onslaught meant the last 10 overs yielded 111 runs and, despite Ryan Higgins’ defiant knock of 66 from 69 in response, the home side fell narrowly short on 293, with young Lancashire bowler Tom Aspinwall taking four for 52.

Lancashire’s success means they will seal a quarter-final tie if they defeat Nottinghamshire in their final group fixture on Tuesday.

Although George Bell gave Lancashire a solid start, dispatching Ethan Bamber three times to the off-side boundary in an over, the seamer made the breakthrough when Keaton Jennings edged behind.

The visitors progressed steadily to 67 for one, but then lost two wickets in the space of four balls as Bell was caught at gully off Martin Andersson before Bamber (two for 38) cleaned up Dane Vilas.

Josh Bohannon and George Balderson gradually rebuilt, with the former launching Luke Hollman over mid-on for the first six of the game and pulling the leg-spinner to the fence to reach his half-century soon afterwards.

Hollman sent down a full toss that Bohannon gratefully thumped to the short boundary, but his response was impressive, the next delivery pitching and turning to hit off stump and end the right-hander’s knock of 62.

Balderson soon followed as Andersson (three for 55) calmly plucked a one-handed return catch out of the air, but Lavelle and Hurst both went for their shots and injected the innings with sudden impetus.

Hurst outscored his partner, flaying one Ishaan Kaushal over for 20 and reaching his maiden half-century from 33 balls before he eventually perished, skying Andersson to third man in the penultimate over.

Lavelle was run out by a smart throw from John Simpson soon afterwards, but the duo had already done enough to lift Lancashire above 300, which proved to be out of the home side’s reach.

Joe Cracknell looked in good touch at the start of Middlesex’s reply, striking a series of sweet cover boundaries to reach 33 before he was undone by a Tom Bailey delivery that seamed away to send his off stump flying.

Medium-pacer Aspinwall made an immediate impact, with his first ball breaching Sam Robson’s defences, but Higgins and Mark Stoneman added 52 from nine overs to keep pace with the required rate.

However, Jack Morley took two wickets in four balls to turn the tide firmly in the visitors’ favour, with Stoneman trapped in front for 44 before Simpson’s reverse sweep was neatly pouched by Lavelle, racing in from the boundary.

Higgins kept up the charge, repeatedly piercing the infield and depositing Morley and Bailey into the Tavern for maximums as he posted a third half-century of the tournament, sharing another substantial stand of 57 with Jack Davies.

When Higgins’ ramp shot was juggled and held by Balderson, Middlesex’s hopes faded and, although Andersson’s unbeaten 46 ensured the contest went to the final over, Aspinwall held his nerve to dismiss Bamber and Kaushal with successive balls.

Middlesex’s RYAN HIGGINS, who top-scored with 66, said:

“We weren’t that clinical with the ball. Things maybe didn’t go our way but, at the same time, for the last 10 overs to go for more than 100 on a wicket like that isn’t good enough.

“It’s just frustrating, there are fine margins in games like this and 300 was probably just out of reach. I thought 280 would have been a good score.

“Their two players batted extremely well at the end, for two young guys they ran well and hit the gaps. Every time they middled one they hit it for four and every time they didn’t they got a two.

“I’ve been trying to play positively with the bat all through the competition. It wasn’t the easiest wicket to bat on and the outfield was quicker than I thought. At one point we stalled a bit and left ourselves a little too much to do.”

 

Lancashire’s GEORGE LAVELLE, who scored 72 from 53 balls in his first game at Lord’s, said:

“It was a pretty special day, both personally and as a team, for my first professional game at the home of cricket. Walking back through the Long Room to that ovation got the hairs up on the back of my neck – real bucket list stuff.

“I thought we played quite well together (131 partnership with Matthew Hurst) in a tricky situation. We were both positive with the running between the wickets, the connection we had was really good.

“It’s very clichéd but the fifties didn’t really come into our heads until we got there, we still had a job to do and we kept going. We thought we had a good score on the board and with our bowling line-up, we’d back ourselves to restrict anyone.

“The lads did really well and Tom (Aspinwall) bowled really well all day, especially bowling that last over under pressure. He stuck to his game, he knew what he’s good at and nailed those two yorkers that won it for us.”

 

Warwickshire vs Durham, Group B

Durham ended Warwickshire’s 100 per cent record in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with an exhilarating one-run win from a wonderful, run-soaked game at Edgbaston.

The match featured two brilliant centuries. David Bedingham’s 152 (108 balls), supported by Alex Lees’ 66 (77 balls) and Tomas Mackintosh (53, 47 balls) lifted Durham to an imposing 338 for eight. Olly Hannon-Dalby took three for 54 and now has 23 wickets at 10.43 apiece in this year’s One-Day Cup.

Bedingham batted beautifully but his innings was then matched by Ed Barnard who struck his maiden List A century (161, 152 balls) as Warwickshire replied with 337 for eight. Will Rhodes (66, 93) and Ethan Brookes (31, 26) helped Barnard take the Bears close but Durham’s bowlers dug deep, led by Migael Pretorius (four for 50) and Jonathan Bushnell (three for 56) who bowled the last two overs with high composure and skill.

Their ice-cool nerve earned Durham’s third win of the group. Warwickshire, meanwhile, already through to the knockout phase, can still book a home semi-final if they beat Sussex at Hove on Tuesday.

Put in, Durham lost Michael Jones to the fifth ball when he inside-edged Hannon-Dalby to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess. Lees then gave the innings a solid platform with stands of 55 with Scott Borthwick and 67 with Bedingham.

Lees departed furious with himself when, having taken ten from successive balls from Henry Brookes, he lifted the next to mid-off. Bushnell fell first ball, to a fine leg-side catch by Burgess, and when Liam Trevaskis edged Hannon-Dalby to the keeper, Durham were wobbling at 156 for five.

Bedingham and Mackintosh played with freedom and verve to add 116 in 92 balls. Mackintosh struck four fours and two sixes in his maiden List A half-century while Bedingham passed his previous best in the format (104) with a six crunched over long on off Hannon-Dalby and then hit overdrive. He crashed 40 from his last ten balls, including three successive sixes off Craig Miles.

Warwickshire soon lost Rob Yates when he top-edged Pretorius to mid off but Barnard and Rhodes added 148 in 23 overs to keep the big home crowd interested.

Barnard posted his first List A ton from 106 balls but after Rhodes lifted George Drissell to long off, a cluster of wickets cranked up the pressure. Alex Davies spooned Pretorius to long on and Jake Bethell top-edged a slog at a good-length ball from Bushnell who then had Burgess caught at short third man.

Barnard needed help and Ethan Brookes supplied it perfectly with intelligent, skilful batting which no doubt had a few watching home fans wondering why on earth Warwickshire are allowing such a highly talented player leave for Worcestershire at the end of the season.

Barnard and Brookes added 85 in 53 balls and the latter departed caught at deep mid-wicket, with his team back in control. Forty needed from six overs came down to 20 from three.

When Barnard was caught at extra cover, 15 were needed from 13 balls. Pretorius bowled Jake Lintott in an excellent over which left Warwickshire needing nine from the last. Bushnell bowled a fine last over of full length which denied the Bears the two boundaries they needed and closed out a truly memorable victory

Warwickshire all-rounder Ed Barnard said:

"It's a little bit bitter sweet. I'm very proud to get a career best and get us so close but with a one-run defeat you always look back and think about those moments when you might have found that extra run. But it was a great game of cricket and a great crowd in on a Sunday here at Edgbaston so now we've just got to go down to Hove on Tuesday and make sure we get the win which gets us a home semi-final.

"Bedingham played a pretty special knock for them but me and Will Rhodes were talking all the time during our partnership and we never allowed the rate get above seven. Rhodesy played fantastically as he has all competition and then all the lads who came in showed great intent.

"Getting through the 90s took me a little bit longer than I would have hoped because we lost a couple of wickets around then as well. To get my first century as a Bear is really special. I am really proud. 

"I've wanted to show the Bears fans what I can do and to get the century and then go on and build a big innings was really nice. It was just a shame we fell one run short but it was a great game and hopefully all the spectators enjoyed it."

 

Durham batter David Bedingham said:

"Ed Barnard played really well for the Bears. I felt I started a little bit slowly but towards then it got easier and easier I was lucky enough to get a few away. It was a great game. It rarely happens that two teams bat for 50 overs each and there is one run in it at the end of the day. It was a really good game of cricket.

"It is definitely the smallest boundary I've ever played in, but even with the small boundary in mind, we had a big score and we felt that if we kept taking wickets like we did, we would make it quite hard for them.

"Credit must go to out bowlers as well. Mig started really well and then for young Bushnell to come on under lots of pressure and defend nine in the last over was really impressive. I'm happy for him because I think he bowled well the whole game."

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