NATIONAL COUNTIES Championship final race is on
- Details
- Created on Sunday, 22 August 2021 07:59
- Last Updated on Sunday, 22 August 2021 12:04
- Published on Sunday, 22 August 2021 07:59
- Written by PAUL BOLTON National Counties Cricket correspondent
Seven counties head into today’s final round of three-day National Counties Championship matches with a chance of qualifying for next month’s final at Tring Park (September 5-8).All four of the Western Division One sides in action are in contention to top the division with 15 points separating Oxfordshire – who went top by beating defending champions Berkshire this week – from fourth place Dorset.
Those two counties meet at Wimborne with second placed Cheshire travelling to the Falkland club in Newbury to face Berkshire whose first Championship defeat in seven years saw them drop to third.
Dorset have recalled Bashley Rydal batsman Jacob Gordon in place of Oli Soames and included batsmen Harry Fisher and Ben Chaffey of North Perrott – a potential debutant – in their squad against a much-changed Oxfordshire side.
Ollie Ebsworth-Burland, Olly Clarke, captain Jonny Cater, Tom Cosford, Zach Lion-Cachet and seamer Pravdeep Chahal are all unavailable.
Harry Smith will captain Oxfordshire in Cater’s absence with Thame Town’s Callum Russell taking over as wicketkeeper for his first Championship outing of the season.
Leamington and former Gloucestershire seamer Ollie Currill is in line to make his Oxfordshire debut.
Berkshire welcome back opening batsman Savin Perera, left-arm spinner Luke Beaven and pace bowler Lewis Sharp against Cheshire as they attempt to win the Championship for a record fifth successive season.
They replace Matt Rowe, Max Uttley and Tom Nugent, who is unavailable due to work commitments.
Cheshire, who are eight points behind Oxfordshire, need to beat Berkshire and hope that Oxfordshire either lose or draw to take the Western Division title for the first time since 2013 when they went on to beat Cambridgeshire in the final.
Cheshire have made five changes to the side that drew with relegated Wiltshire in a rain-ruined contest last weekend and will give debuts to Ashcombe Park batsman Mahaaz Ahmed, Chester Boughton Hall and Lancashire Academy all-rounder Luke Young and former Loughborough MCCU left-arm seamer Sam Grant.
Grant takes the place of Ben Gibbon who took five wickets for the first time for Cheshire against Wiltshire and has now been called up to play for Lancashire Second XI.
In Western Division Two Herefordshire, who have already secured top spot and promotion to Division One for next season, complete their season against Cornwall at St Austell.
Leg-spinner Alex Russell returns from duty with Essex Second XI and batsman Jujhar Johal will make his first appearance of the season.
Cornwall have made three changes to the side beaten by Shropshire at Bridgnorth which ended their promotion hopes.
Former Worcestershire slow left-armer Ben Twohig will make his second appearance for Cornwall against the county he played for in 2018.
Truro batsman Joe Philips is in line to make his Cornwall debut and Wadebridge all-rounder James Turpin of Wadebridge also returns to the side.
Devon have named Heathcote pace bowler Joe Hancock in a 12-man squad for the match against Shropshire at Sidmouth. Hancock, who will make his county debut if he plays, replaces Dan Goodey.
Shropshire have included Worcestershire Academy seamer Mitchell Stanley in a 12-man squad for his Championship debut.
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National Counties Championship
August 22-24 (1100 daily)
Eastern Division One
Wisbech: Cambridgeshire v Norfolk
Copdock: Suffolk v Staffordshire
Eastern Division Two
Chesham: Buckinghamshire v Northumberland
Hertford: Hertfordshire v Cumbria
Western Division One
Falkland CC (Newbury): Berkshire v Cheshire
Wimborne: Dorset v Oxfordshire
Western Division Two
St Austell: Cornwall v Herefordshire
Sidmouth: Devon v Shropshire
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