Wiltshire v Cornwall Trophy 4 July 2021 at Warminster CC

Scorecard

Table

Cornwall hopes of reaching the NCCA Trophy Quarter-Finals were ended at Warminster despite victory over Wiltshire.

Both sides went into the game knowing a convincing win was needed to overtake Herefordshire’s net run rate.

They had completed their four group games.

If a full 50 over game was completed Cornwall and Wiltshire both needed either around 80 runs winning margins or passing the target in around 33- 35 overs.

In the circumstances, Scott Harvey won a useful toss and elected to field first.

With Ben Ellis picking up two wickets the hosts were reduced to 92-4 in the 19th over.

However, Durham batsman  Cameron Steel, currently on loan to Hampshire and with a double first-class century against Leicestershire in 2017, made 109.

Ed Young (66) put on  118 for the fifth wicket.

After a shower saw an early lunch taken  a further downpour meant Wiltshire’s innings closed after 41.2 overs at 248-7.

The Duckworth Lewis calculation resulted in a target of 193 from 25 overs.

However, to achieve the necessary net run rate the Cornwall target need to be reached in just 13 overs and three balls – a daunting ask of 14.3 an over.

Despite only two runs coming off the first over Cornwall were going well at 110-3 off eight overs with Christian Purchase making 17  and Tom Wells 27 off eight balls, including 4 sixes.

Crucially in the ninth over Greg Smith fell for 65 off 30 balls (6 sixes and 4 fours) and Paul Smith followed next ball.

Dan Lello hit 3 sixes in his 32.

The NRR cut off point came in the 14th over with Cornwall 25 runs short of victory.

Jonny Ludlam (20no) and Ben Ellis (16no) went on to secure a bitter-sweet success with 26 balls to spare.

The winner takes all game at Dorchester saw Devon (6pts) win the group with a narrow six-run Duckworth Lewis victory over Dorset.

After rain delays, the target was 144 from 32 overs but Dorset were bowled out for 137 with two balls remaining.

Herefordshire qualified in second spot with Cornwall and Dorset also ending on four points.

Next Sunday sees the start of the Championship season with Cornwall’s first three-day game in Division 2  against Wales National Counties at Pontarddulais.

Warminster – Wiltshire 248-7 (CT Steel 109, EGC Young 66; BA Ellis 2-42, TJ Wells 2-52),

Cornwall 196-8 (20.4 overs) GM Smith 65, CD Lello 32, TJ Wells 27, JP Ludlam 20no; JM King 4-42).

 Cornwall (2) beat Wilshire (0) by two wickets (D/L/S Method -Target 193 in 25 overs).

Preview

Cornwall make two changes from the team that lost to Devon. Paul Smith  and Tommy Sturgess replace Antony Angove and Alex Bone. To qualify for the quarter-finals as group runners-up both teams need victory by a significant margin to overtake Herefordshire on net run rate.

Herefordshire have completed their group games.

The winner of the Dorset v Devon game at Dorchester will top the group.

Should that be a tie or a ‘No Result’ both teams will qualify making the Wiltshire v Cornwall game irrelevant.

Ten overs in the second innings of a match  are required for a result.

Cornwall

C B F Purchase

K J Burns

G M Smith

T J Wells

P S Smith

T G Sturgess

S A Harvey (Capt) (wk)

C D Lello

J P Ludlam

B A Ellis

C M Johnson

12 T J Dinnis

Cornwall: Scott Harvey (Capt) (wk) (Truro), Christian Purchase (Penzance), Paul Smith (Castle Bromwich), Greg Smith (Penzance), Tom Wells (Penzance), Tommy Sturgess (Swarkestone), Kian Burns (Callington), Dan Lello (Penzance), Jonny Ludlam (Penzance), Ben Ellis (St Just), Craig Johnson (Redruth). 12th Man Tom Dinnis (Penzance)

Umpires: P Sparshott & P Witney

Scorers D Eggins & J Gale.

Wiltshire

1 J A Stearman
2 J Goodwin (wk)
3 C D Aubrey
4 N J Clark
5 W L Naish
6 E G C Young (c)
7  C T Steel
8 A B F Godsal
9 T G Afridi
10 J M King
11 J N Croom