Durant Cricket NCCA Championship: Week 5 - Preview

Berkshire head into their final Durant Cricket National Counties Championship match against Oxfordshire needing only a draw to secure the Western Division One title and a place in next month’s national final.

Berkshire currently head the table by 39 points having won all three of their divisional matches so far but that record may count for nothing if they slip up against Oxfordshire.

As Oxfordshire still have struggling Devon to play at Banbury next week two maximum point hauls would take them above Berkshire who, having seen their title hopes scuppered by their local rivals by a heavy defeat at Thame three years ago, regard them as a live threat.

“Three wins out of three would have won all the other groups but the way our group is, if we slip up against Oxfordshire and then Oxfordshire beat Devon we are in position whereby they will pip us,” said Berkshire head coach Tom Lambert.

“We know Oxfordshire. They are a really good side and, similar to us, they have had a lot of recent success.

“We are going to have to be really, really good and we are going to have to go out to win that game to cement our place in the final.

“But we have got a hell of a lot of work to do against a team we fully respect.”

Berkshire welcome back opening batter Rhys Lewis and off-spinning all-rounder Euan Woods from the injuries that ruled them out of the victory over Cheshire two weeks ago.

Off-spinner Adam Searle, who took his maiden five wicket haul two weeks ago, returns to the squad having missed last week’s National Counties Trophy semi-final defeat against Cheshire.

Oxfordshire give a debut to seamer George O’Connor, who has been trialling with Sussex, with batter Luke Maslen called up for his first Championship appearance in two years.

Cheshire head to Sidmouth to face Devon in a potential relegation decider, strengthened by the inclusion of four members of their successful Trophy side.

Former captain Rob Sehmi will make his first Championship appearance in two years with Kevin Carroll, Nick Anderson and Chris Sanders set for their seasonal debuts in the competition.

Devon, last season’s Western Division champions and beaten national finalists, have made one change to the side beaten by Cornwall with seamer Matt Skeemer replacing leg-spinner Will Christophers.

In Eastern Division One everything is to play as all six matches so far have been drawn and just 18 points split current leaders Lincolnshire from Buckinghamshire, the defending national champions, who are at the bottom.

But Lincolnshire sit out this weekend’s round of matches so they will watch with interest to see which one of their rivals blinks first in this weekend’s penultimate round of matches.

Bedfordshire play their final match against Buckinghamshire at Flitwick this weekend and welcome back former Kent, Essex and Hampshire all-rounder Matt Coles from injury for the first time since their opening match against Staffordshire.

Patrick Harrington also returns with Nabil Moughal, who was twelfth man against Suffolk two weeks ago, also in the squad.

Buckinghamshire have included Danny Chapman, a 16-year-old all-rounder from Stony Stratford in their squad for a possible debut.

But Cameron Parsons, the hero of the victory over Leicestershire in the Showcase game at Grace Road, is unavailable this weekend.

Staffordshire take county cricket to the Riverway ground in Stafford for the first time with Suffolk the visitors for the historic fixture.

Staffordshire played nine Championship matches at Stafford’s old ground, The Hough, the last of them 69 years ago.

Staffordshire have named the same side that came close to beating Lincolnshire at Cleethorpes two weeks ago and expect to be without batter Zen Malik for the remainder of the season following his recruitment by Warwickshire.

In Eastern Division Two Cambridgeshire have been given a boost by the unexpected availability of batter Ben Claydon for their match against Northumberland at Sawston.

Claydon, a winter recruit from Suffolk, was expected to miss the remainder of the season when he dislocated a shoulder in May but has made a quicker-than-expected recovery and will return to county action on his home club ground.

The match has been switched to Sawston from Fenner’s following on-going concerns about the pitches at Cambridge University’s headquarters where Cambridgeshire’s Showcase against Surrey had to be abandoned on safety grounds.

Northumberland have made four changes to the side that beat Norfolk in two days last time out.

Wicketkeeper Chris Youldon will make his first Championship appearance in nine years and batter Mohsin Moughal his first since 2021.

Coach Dan Shurben will have his first outing of the season and seamer George Darwood returns having made his Championship debut in the season opener against Cumbria.

Norfolk host Cumbria in the first match of the two-week long Norfolk Cricket Festival at Manor Park in Horsford.

Experienced slow left-armer Ryan Findlay will make his seasonal debut for Norfolk as Jordan Everett is unavailable this weekend.

Callum Metcalf, who helped Norfolk beat Cambridgeshire in last weekend’s National Counties Trophy semi-final, is also unavailable and Nottinghamshire batter Sammy King retains his place as professional as Josh Cobb is required by Worcestershire for Metro Bank Cup duty.

Cumbria give a debut to Wigton wicketkeeper Matthew Reed and have recalled Cockermouth batter Greg Platten for his first county appearance in five years. Batter Sam Dutton will make his seasonal Championship debut.

Shropshire welcome back batter George Hargrave and wicketkeeper Ben Lees for their Western Division Two match against Wales NC at Bridgnorth which may well decide the title and promotion to the top flight next season.

Wales are missing opening batter Kurtis Marsh, who is due to become a father for the first time, so Newport’s Morgan Bevans and Ynysygerwyn’s Cian Davies – who made his debut in the Showcase fixture against Worcestershire – are included the squad.

Herefordshire head to Wimborne to face Dorset with two contracted Worcestershire players – Henry Cullen and Olly Cox – in their side.

Captain Matt Pardoe and vice-captain Nick Hammond return having missed the draw with Wales and Halesowen off-spinner Ciaran Baker-Smith will make his debut.

Seamer Sam Keeling-Wright, who impressed for the Challengers against Zimbabwe Emerging this week, is unavailable.

Dorset also include a debutant, North Perrott’s James Salaman, and they have recalled former Hampshire Academy batter Dom Clutterbuck for his first county appearance in six years.

 Durant Cricket National Counties Championship

August 11-13 (11am)

Eastern Division One

Flitwick: Bedfordshire v Buckinghamshire. Stafford: Staffordshire v Suffolk

Western Division One

Falkland CC: Berkshire v Oxfordshire. Sidmouth: Devon v Cheshire.

Eastern Division Two

Sawston: Cambridgeshire v Northumberland. Horsford: Norfolk v Cumbria.

Western Division Two

Wimborne: Dorset v Herefordshire. Bridgnorth: Shropshire v Wales NC.