National Counties Cricket Association XI VS MCC

Some of the star performers in this season’s National Counties Trophy have been included in the National Counties Cricket Association XI for the annual representative match against MCC at the St Cross Club in Winchester on Tuesday, June 27 (11am). 

Former Essex seamer Jack Plom, who took five wickets against Cornwall yesterday to secure Hertfordshire home advantage in Sunday’s Trophy quarter-finals, is among the debutants in a strong NCCA side. 

Plom is joined by his Hertfordshire team-mate, left-arm seamer Alex Gosling, who took four wickets in the victory over Bedfordshire at Watford and who has been trialling with Essex in Second XI cricket this season. 

Another left-arm seamer, Wiltshire’s Josh Croom, has also been on trial with Warwickshire and he will make his NCCA debut having taken five wickets in the victory over Staffordshire at Smethwick three weeks ago. 

Freddie Fallows, whose half-centuries in the Trophy wins over Oxfordshire and Northumberland were crucial in helping Cumbria clinch a home quarter-final, also receives his first NCCA call-up. 

Staffordshire wicketkeeper/batter Callum Hawkins, who made half-centuries against Wales NC and Buckinghamshire, and his county colleague, seamer Sam Atkinson, who is on Warwickshire’s Academy, provide two-thirds of the Midlands contingent along with Herefordshire seamer Roshan Venkataraman. 

Venkataraman finished Herefordshire’s Trophy campaign impressively with a maiden five-wicket haul in the victory over Lincolnshire at Brockhampton and four more against Oxfordshire yesterday. 

Wales NC provide two in-form batters in Cameron Hemp and Callum Nicholls with Hemp fresh from a career-best 80 not out against Buckinghamshire yesterday and Nicholls was a regular of the Glamorgan side that reached the final of this season’s Second XI T20 competition. 

Dan Lincoln, who has captained the NCCA XI in the last two European T10 Championships in Spain, will lead the side against MCC. 

Lincoln’s Berkshire team-mate, leg-spinner Shaariq Sheikh, is among the talented youngsters who will have the opportunity to press their claims for selection for this season’s European tournament in Malaga in October. 

NCCA XI v MCC 

St Cross CC, Winchester 

Tuesday, June 27 (11am) 

Callum Nichols (Wales NC), Callum Hawkins (Staffordshire), Freddie Fallows (Cumbria), Dan Lincoln  (Berkshire -captain), Cameron Hemp (Wales NC), Roshan Venkataraman (Herefordshire), Jack Plom (Hertfordshire), Sam Atkinson (Staffordshire), Shaariq Sheikh (Berkshire), Alex Gosling (Hertfordshire), Josh Croom (Wiltshire).