National Counties Make Winning Start to European Title Defence

National Counties XI made an impressive start to their defence of the Dream 11 European T10 Championship on a rain-affected day at the Cartama Oval near Malaga.

National Counties, again representing England in the 32-nation Euros of Cricket, began with an eight wickets victory over hosts Spain in their opening match of the tournament and were going well in their second match against Scotland when rain halted play and forced an abandonment.

As reigning champions National Counties were given a bye to the Championship Week of the competition while the other four countries had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the format through a series of qualifying events.

But National Counties were soon back into a familiar routine, restricting Spain to 144 for five after Dan Lincoln had opted to bowl first.

Spain looked on course for a more imposing total after Muhammad Ihsan (38) had given them a flying start before he was well taken by Dorset’s David Scott at long-off to give Staffordshire’s Rory Haydon a wicket in his first over in the competition.

Hamza Saleem Dar took off where Ihsan left off with a belligerent 39 but the introduction of Berkshire seamer Tommy Sturgess and Oxfordshire slow left-armer Tom Hinley into the attack de-railed Spain.

Sturgess, who played for Worcestershire in their Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign, flattened Dar’s middle stump with a yorker and Hinley, who recently signed a rookie contract with Worcestershire, then struck twice in his only over by having Spain captain Christian Munoz Mills and Ali Syed caught by Northumberland’s Seb Allison at deep midwicket.

Another Sturgess yorker did for Daniel Doyle-Calle as Spain managed only 61 runs in the second half of their innings.

Dorset’s former Somerset batter Sam Young launched National Counties’ chase by striking four sixes in seven balls before he was bowled by Adeel Raja.

Hinley dealt only in boundaries – three fours – before he was caught behind and Staffordshire’s former Derbyshire left-hander Nils Priestley was given a life first ball when he was dropped at long off.

Priestley punished Spain for that lapse as he and Lincoln plundered 85 from 28 balls in a destructive unbroken third wicket partnership that swept National Counties to victory with 13 balls to spare.

Priestley faced just 16 balls for his 57 not out, ten of which – six sixes and four fours – were boundaries.

Lincoln finished unbeaten on 48 from 19 balls with his sixth six, over square leg off Shafaat Ali Syed, clinching victory.

Rain, which had delayed the start of the day, forced the abandonment of Germany’s match against Netherlands after just ten balls had been bowled and meant a delayed start to National Counties’ meeting with Scotland.

The contest was reduced to nine overs-a-side and National Counties were initially made to graft after Scotland put them in.

Berkshire’s Johnny Connell, who was given his competition debut, and Young opened with a partnership of 40 before Young and Scott both picked out long-off and Connell then holed out to long-on for 21.

But Hinley led the counter-attack by thumping the first four balls he faced for sixes and was joined by Lincoln in a fourth wicket stand of 71 from 19 balls.

Hinley thumped 41 from 11 balls before he went LBW to seamer Charlie Cassell but only one more ball was bowled before the rain returned and set in.

Lincoln was unbeaten on 29 from eight balls – three sixes and two fours – but frustrated that his efforts were not rewarded with another win.

Scotland’s side included former Northumberland batter Fin McCreath whose 96 in the first match of the day was not enough to save them from an eight wicket defeat by Germany.

 Dream 11 European T10 Championship

Cartama Oval, Malaga

Match 1: Spain 144-5 (Hamza Saleem Dar 39, Muhammad Ihsan 38, Tommy Sturgess 2-11, Tom Hinley 2-14), National Counties XI 147-2 (Nils Priestley 57 not out, Dan Lincoln 48 not out, Sam Young 24). National Counties XI won by eight wickets.

Match 2: National Counties XI 119-4 (Tom Hinley 41, Dan Lincoln 29 not out) v Scotland. No result.

📸 Diana Oros & European Cricket Network