NATIONAL COUNTIES Championship final day preview
- Details
- Created on Tuesday, 05 July 2022 07:39
- Last Updated on Tuesday, 05 July 2022 07:47
- Published on Tuesday, 05 July 2022 07:39
- Written by PAUL BOLTON National Counties Cricket correspondent
Oxfordshire lost their last five first innings wickets for 44 against the wily slow left-arm of David Wainwright four which meant that they trailed by 57 on first innings.
Worcestershire seamer Ben Gibbon went wicketless in his first bowl of the season for Cheshire.
Oxfordshire fought back well to dismiss Cheshire for 199 in their second innings with Prav Chahal taking four for 21, his best Championship figures.
Needing 257 for victory, Oxfordshire made a solid start thanks to acting-captain Harry Smith who was unbeaten on 78 as they closed on 119 for three.
Hampshire opening batter Felix Organ impressed with the ball for Dorset against Herefordshire at Eastnor.
Organ took five for 113 with his off-breaks which helped Dorset secure a first innings lead of 39.
Worcestershire opener Josh Dell continued his comeback by making 36 for Herefordshire before he was snared by Organ.
Herefordshire captain Matt Pardoe (73) and Championship debutant Olly Walker (42) shared a fourth wicket partnership of 84.
Organ then featured in his more familiar role, making an unbeaten half-century as Dorset extended their lead to 180.
A short but intriguing final day is in prospect at Abergavenny where Wales NC need three wickets and Devon 43 runs for victory in Western Division Two.
In a match of constantly fluctuating fortunes, the all-round performance of Wales’ Brad Wadlan looks like proving decisive.
Having made a century on the first day, Wadlan took six for 18 with his left arm spin as Devon lost their last seven first innings wickets for 50.
Wales struggled in turn, slumping to 123 all out in their second innings with Kaz Szymanski, the former Glamorgan pace bowler, taking three wickets.
Devon then ran into trouble against Wadlan for the second time in the day, subsiding from 31 without loss to 85 for six.
Wadlan ended the day with five more wickets and match figures of 11 for 56 with power to add but Elliot Hamilton denied Wales a two-day win and kept alive Devon’s own victory hopes by making a defiant unbeaten 52.
Honours are even at Corsham where Wiltshire coach Tom Morton gave his players a practical batting demonstration by making 75 not out in their second innings against Shropshire.
With a second half century of the match from Jake Goodwin and support from Chris Aubrey, Wiltshire closed on 269 for seven, a lead of 230.
David Laird made a maiden Championship half century in Shropshire’s first innings which, with support from Ben Lees and Sam Ellis, gave them a small, but useful, lead.
National Counties Championship (Second day of three)
Eastern Division One
Dunstable: Bedfordshire 296-5 (George Thurstance 117 not out, Matt Taylor 105 not out) & 161-8 (James Kettleborough 85 not out, Dan Gibbs 5-22), Staffordshire 359 (Tim Maxfield 93, Dan Richardson 80, Paul Byrne 61 not out.
Bury St Edmunds: Suffolk 222 & 84 (Curtis Free 5-31), Lincolnshire 184 (Jack Timby 50, Tom Keast 50) & 126-2 (Tom Keast 63 not out). Lincolnshire (21 pts) beat Suffolk (5 pts) by eight wickets.
Western Division One
Eastnor: Dorset 315-9 (Alex Eckland 65, Harry Fisher 58, Sam Young 56) & 141-3 (Felix Organ 58 not out), Herefordshire 276-9 dec (Matt Pardoe 73, Felix Organ 5-113).
Alderley Edge: Cheshire 246 (Rob Sehmi 91, Max Mannering 6-67) & 199, Oxfordshire 189 (Jamie Harrison 51) & 119-3 (Harry Smith 78 not out).
Eastern Division Two
Tynemouth: Northumberland 177 (Fin McCreath 57 not out, Matt Siddall 6-60) & 205 (Fin McCreath 68, Matt Siddall 5-49), Cumbria 248 (Sam Dutton 57, Nico Watt 55) & 17-0.
March: Cambridgeshire 72 & 294-6 (Wayne White 94, Ben Seabrook 83 not out, Lee Thomason 51, Hertfordshire 343-8 (Ed Wharton 77, Ben Waring 67 not out).
Western Division Two
Abergavenny: Wales NC 255 (Brad Wadlan 100, Josef Davies 54) & 123, Devon 194 (Adam Small 90, Brad Wadlan 6-18) 142-7.
Corsham: Wiltshire 223 (Jake Goodwin 97, Sam Whitney 5-38) & 269-7 (Tom Morton 75 not out, Jake Goodwin 58), Shropshire 253 (David Laird 55).
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