National Counties Knockout Trophy Semi Final Review

Holders Berkshire and Cumbria will meet in the final of the National Counties Trophy for the fourth successive season at Wormsley on Sunday August 27.

Berkshire, who are attempting to win the competition for the fourth successive season, eased to a six wickets victory over Wiltshire in their semi-final at the South Wilts club in Salisbury while Cumbria, runners-up in the last three finals, beat Suffolk by four wickets in a low-scoring contest at Sudbury.

Wiltshire were restricted to 207 all out in their 50 overs after they were put in at South Wilts despite 72 from opener Jake Goodwin.

But only Josh Kelly (22) kept company with Goodwin for long with the pair adding 59 for the fifth wicket.

But after Goodwin departed in the 36th over it was left to Chris Aubrey, with 34 from 32 balls, to take Wiltshire past 200.

Slow left-armer Rhodri Lewis and seamer Tom Nugent shared six wickets between them with off-spinner Euan Woods taking two before contributing 47 to Berkshire’s successful run chase.

With Middlesex staff man Jack Davies (62 not out from 68 balls) and captain Dan Lincoln (46 not out from 38 balls) adding 95 in an unbroken fifth wicket stand, Berkshire cantered home with 13 overs to spare.

Warwickshire left-arm wrist spinner Jake Lintott took two for 29 in nine overs but it was not enough for Wiltshire to avenge their semi-final defeat by Berkshire four years ago.

At Sudbury Suffolk never recovered from being reduced to eight for three by Cumbria’s Leicestershire seamer Chris Wright, after they were also asked to bat first.

The Sussex-bound Wright accounted for Jack Beaumont, Alex Oxley, and Ben Claydon in his first three overs.

Suffolk required a battling half-century from Jacob Marston (52 not out from 85 balls) to get them to 149 all out but they failed to bat out their full allocation of overs.

Wright finished with three for 24 in his 10 overs, with slow left-armer Freddie Fallows taking three for 37.

Cumbria was made to work for victory which was achieved with solid contributions down the order from Ben Walkden (35), Marcus Stables (30), and Michael Slack (20).

There were two wickets apiece for Beaumont and Tom Harper but Cumbria got home with more than eight overs to spare to deny Suffolk their first appearance in a Trophy final since they won the competition in 2007.

National Counties Trophy

Semi-finals

Sudbury: Suffolk 149 (Jacob Marston 52 not out), Cumbria 152-6. Cumbria won by four wickets.

South Wilts CC: Wiltshire 207 (Jake Goodwin 72), Berkshire 208-4 (Jack Davies 62 not out). Berkshire won by six wickets.