COUNTIES CRICKET T20 groups down to the wire
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- Created on Sunday, 06 July 2025 05:40
- Last Updated on Sunday, 06 July 2025 05:58
- Published on Sunday, 06 July 2025 05:40
- Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent
So far only Cumbria and Northumberland - both in Group One – have made it mathematically certain that they will be involved in the next stage of the competition.
Calculators are likely to be required to determine the net run rates and the remaining Super 12s places in the other groups.
The four group winners will have home advantage in the Super 12s on August 3 with the second and third placed counties from each group also progressing.
It is particularly tight in Group Three where all five counties go into the day with a chance of going through.
Oxfordshire currently head the group with a two points advantage over Berkshire but, as they have already completed their group programme, must monitor events from afar to discover whether they will be joining Lincolnshire, Shropshire and Devon in making an early exit.
Berkshire would already have booked their Super 12s place had they not been docked four points for fielding an unregistered player in both of their victories over Wales NC two weeks ago. So Berkshire still have work to do against Bedfordshire at Wargrave with the visitors also in need of wins to progress.
Berkshire have added Andrew MacEwen and Ben Salter to the side which beat Buckinghamshire twice last week.
Wales NC and Buckinghamshire meet in the other Group Three double-header at Ebbw Vale where Wales have named three contracted Glamorgan players - Henry Hurle, Ben Morris and Callum Nicholls - in a much-changed squad. Hurle will captain the side with Jack Hope-Bell, Romano Franco and Joe Davies all called up.
Buckinghamshire welcome back 17-year-old Ed Horsley from school commitments.
In Group One Cheshire and Staffordshire are in a straight fight for the one remaining Super 12s place with Cheshire requiring two wins against Northumberland at Oxton and for Cumbria to beat Staffordshire twice at Wolverhampton. Staffordshire will ensure qualification with one win.
Staffordshire welcome back former Northamptonshire slow left-armer Tom Brett and give a competitive debut to batter Rohan Vallabhaneni, who played in the Showcase T20s against Leicestershire in May.
Cumbria have included Leicestershire seamer Chris Wright in their squad for his first T20 county match since 2019 with Matt Sempill again captaining them in the absence of Michael Slack.
Northumberland head to the Wirral without Haydon Mustard who has been called into Durham’s Vitality Blast squad for the weekend. Harry Crawshaw will lead the side in the absence of Oli McGee and off-spinner Max Williamson and seamer Tom Slane – a potential T20 debutant – are recalled.
Cheshire give a debut to Toft batter Henry Murray, who has played for Lancashire’s Second XI this season, and have recalled Luke McCoy and Andy Jackson as they attempt to end a run of four straight defeats.
There is a four-way tussle in Group Four where Norfolk need one win against Cambridgeshire at Sprowston to make the Super 12s.
Norfolk are missing Sam King, whose excellent form against Suffolk last weekend has helped earn him a call-up by Nottinghamshire, and Alfie Cooper, who is on holiday. Ethan Metcalf, who has completed his medical exams, and Charlie Hood fill the gaps.
Cambridgeshire give a debut to Sam Thain, brother of Essex batter Noah, and have called up Ben Clilverd for his first appearance of the season. Batter Nikhil Gorantla also returns.
Suffolk surrendered top spot to Norfolk with two defeats at Woolpit last week and now face Hertfordshire at the West Herts club in Watford.
Hertfordshire have Sussex left-arm spinner Troy Henry available this weekend and former Essex seamer Jack Plom returns. Tring Park’s Kit Newman is a potential debutant.
Suffolk welcome back captain Josh Cantrell, who was unavailable last week.
Hampshire batter/off-spinner Felix Organ will play for Dorset in their matches against Wiltshire at Westbury.
Wiltshire need to win both matches – and with a significant swing in their net run rate - to have any chance of appearing in the Super 12s on August 3.
Group leaders Cornwall host Herefordshire at St Austell where they will give a debut to St Just batter Logan Curnow, who steps up from the county’s Under-18s side.
Herefordshire give a debut to Kidderminster opening batter Lucas Ingram with Harry Sockett and Hasan Mahmood both recalled. Ollie Walker will again captain in the absence of Matt Pardoe.
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