COUNTIES CRICKET Trophy team news April 2025
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, 23 April 2025 19:48
- Last Updated on Monday, 28 April 2025 08:31
- Published on Wednesday, 23 April 2025 19:48
- Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent
Ward, who is on a white ball contract with Sussex, has been appointed Oxfordshire’s captain in those formats as successor to Cater who has retired after a 14 year career, 10 of them as captain.
Cater led Oxfordshire to the National Counties Championship Trophy title in 2021 and the T20 title the following year.
Although Cater stepped down as Oxfordshire’s three-day captain at the end of the 2022 season he remained as white ball skipper for two more seasons, leading them to the rain-blighted T20 Finals Day again last summer.
Jacob Townsend, whose last county appearance came two years ago, will keep wicket on Sunday with Loughborough UCCE batter Arjun Ramkumar set to make his debut.
Cornwall include Somerset batter Lewis Goldsworthy, a product of their youth system, with Scott Kellow recalled for his first county appearance in three years and Alfie MacDonald given his Trophy debut.
Buckinghamshire also have a new captain with Alexei Kervezee, the former Worcestershire and Netherlands batter, replacing the long-serving Tom Hampton, who led them to the Championship two years ago.
Buckinghamshire begin their season with a trip to Instow to face Devon at the North Devon club where three products of their age grade system, batters Archie Dodds, Ryan Friend and Aum Raykar, will make their competitive debuts.
Devon give a debut to former Northumberland seamer Seb Allison, a student at Exeter University, who switched counties during the winter having helped the National Counties XI to win the European T10 Championship in Spain.
Devon also have left-arm seamer Josh Nott, Somerset Academy batter Seb Linnitt, Solent University batter and slow left-armer Callum Harvey and Somerset staff seamer Joe Heywood in line for debuts.
Norfolk begin their Trophy defence against Suffolk at Fakenham in Group Two and will give a debut to former Kent and Derbyshire off-spinner Hamadullah Qadri, who has replaced George Rhodes as their professional.
Suffolk introduce Woolpit professional Kieran Pell, who has played Second XI cricket for Leicestershire and how made his county debut in last weekend’s defeat by Bedfordshire in a friendly.
Herefordshire give a competitive debut to homegrown batter Harry Sockett against Shropshire at Eastnor.
Sockett made his first appearance for Herefordshire in last season’s Showcase T20 matches against Gloucestershire, is joined by Ombersley batter Sinel Gunurathne and Kidderminster seamer Ben Clements, who will make their debuts.
Ben Chapman-Lilley will lead the side in the absence of the unavailable Matt Pardoe with Luke Sellers taking charge as coach for the first time following the retirement of the long-serving Richard Skyrme.
Shropshire give a competitive debut to former Worcestershire all-rounder Cameron Jones who made his first appearance for the county in a friendly against Worcestershire Academy two weeks ago.
David Laird returns after a three-year absence but seamer Sam Ellis is unavailable this weekend.
Cheshire, beaten finalists last season, head to Hitchin to face to face Hertfordshire with Sam Perry, the new white ball captain, in charge for the first time.
Former Lancashire wicketkeeper/batter George Lavelle, who played for Cumbria last season, and Lindow’s Max Law both debutants.
Hertfordshire have included batter Nafis Shaikh, who played one Trophy match for Lincolnshire last season, in their 12-man squad.
Wales NC have four contracted Glamorgan players – Will Smale, Ben Morris, Callum Nicholls and Henry Hurle – plus Glamorgan Academy all-rounder Zac Le Riche available for Dorset’s visit to Lisvane in Group Four.
All-rounder Rhodri Lewis, a Cardiff UCCE player, has switched from Berkshire and former Northamptonshire leg-spinner Alex Russell has returned for a second season.
Dorset include Bournemouth University and former Essex Academy seamer Joe Carson and batter Kieran Laird, a product of their youth system.
Market Deepings all-rounder Sam Jarvis will make his debut for Lincolnshire in their Group One match against Cambridgeshire at Bracebridge Heath.
Former Durham batter Jonny Bushnell will make his first appearance for Northumberland in four years against Cumbria at South Northumberland.
Bushnell’s only previous appearance for Northumberland was also in a Trophy match against Cumbria.
Leg-spinner Amaan Ul-Haq returns to Northumberland’s side after an absence of three years.
Cumbria have Lancashire’s Harry Singh available and Kendal seamer Louis Backhouse will make his county debut.
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