COUNTIES CRICKET Trophy team news
- Details
- Created on Sunday, 26 April 2026 07:11
- Last Updated on Sunday, 26 April 2026 10:37
- Published on Sunday, 26 April 2026 07:11
- Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent
Will Smale, Callum Nicholls, Jack Hope-Bell, Henry Hurle and Alex Horton all played their formative county cricket for Wales before joining the first-class ranks.
Buckinghamshire have a new captain in slow left-armer Conner Haddow who has succeeded Alexei Kervezee.
Kervezee led Buckinghamshire to the Championship title last season but he has since been appointed Worcestershire’s Second XI coach and joined Herefordshire.
Another former Worcestershire batter, Matt Pardoe, has gone in the opposite direction to Kervezee and joined Buckinghamshire after 11 years with Herefordshire. Pardoe, who is in charge of cricket at RGS High Wycombe, has also opted to play his club cricket in Buckinghamshire with High Wycombe.
Trophy holders Dorset begin their title defence against Cornwall at Wimborne in Group Four where nine of the side which beat Shropshire in last season’s final will play.
The exceptions are all-rounder Will Chesterman, a product of Somerset’s youth system, who makes his National Counties debut, and Mo Abbas.
Cornwall give debuts to four players including former Gloucestershire batter Chris Dent.
Charlie Mumford, a batter/wicketkeeper, has previous National Counties experience with Hertfordshire in 2023. He is now a student at Exeter University.
Helston seamer Ryan Tonkin and Oscar Coleman, a Cornwall-born all-rounder who is on Somerset’s academy, will also have their first taste of National Counties cricket.
Herefordshire have named a new-look side for their Group Three match against Devon at Bovey Tracey.
Four players will be making their competitive debuts for the county including former Worcestershire and Leicestershire all-rounder George Rhodes who is a winter recruit from Suffolk.
Old Hill batter Hasan Ahmed and Barnards Green batter Sam Clements are newcomers to National Counties cricket as is left-arm pace bowler Theo Barker who has joined Brockhampton having moved into the area from Sussex.
Former Wales NC batter Harry Friend, who played his formative cricket in Herefordshire, has been named as twelfth man with Luke Tulacz captaining the side for the first time.
Devon are missing batter Lawrence Walker, who is nursing a broken thumb, and will make a late decision on the fitness of pace bowler Kazi Szymanski who suffered a side strain in last Sunday’s 70 runs victory over Cornwall in a friendly.
If Szymanski is ruled out one of Charlie Ward or Craig Penbrthy will make their Trophy debut.
Batter Dan Pyle returns to Devon’s side after a seven-year absence and competitive county cricket returns to Bovey Tracey after a gap of 13 years.
Hertfordshire have included Hampshire batter/slow left-armer Andrew Neal in their squad for the Group Three match against Berkshire at Hitchin.
Batter Jake Gordon will make his debut for Hertfordshire having joined from Dorset during the winter. Gordon helped Dorset reach last season’s Trophy final but did not play when they beat Shropshire to lift the title.
Tom Arnold, a left-arm seamer who has county Second XI experience with Essex, is another Hertfordshire debutant.
Andy Rishton will lead Berkshire for the first time having succeeded the departed Dan Lincoln as captain of their Trophy and Championship sides.
Batter James Isbell and slow left-armer Nilesh Bhandari, who are both on Middlesex’s books, will play with Bhandari making his Berkshire debut and Isbell his first appearance in two years for his native county.
Shropshire have named three debutants in their side to face Cumbria at Bridgnorth in Group One.
Former Glamorgan and Leicestershire pace bowler Roman Walker will make his Shropshire debut against the county he played for in 2024.
Neal, who has played for Hertfordshire since 2017, was signed by Hampshire on an initial short-term deal for last season’s Metro Bank Cup but he did so well that he has now joined them on a full contract.
Batter Jake Gordon will make his debut for Hertfordshire having joined from Dorset during the winter. Gordon helped Dorset reach last season’s Trophy final but did not play when they beat Shropshire to lift the title.
Tom Arnold, a left-arm seamer who has county Second XI experience with Essex, is another Hertfordshire debutant.
Andy Rishton will lead Berkshire for the first time having succeeded the departed Dan Lincoln as captain of their Trophy and Championship sides.
Batter James Isbell and slow left-armer Nilesh Bhandari, who are both on Middlesex’s books, will play with Bhandari making his Berkshire debut and Isbell his first appearance in two years for his native county.
Shropshire have named three debutants in their side to face Cumbria at Bridgnorth in Group One.
Former Glamorgan and Leicestershire pace bowler Roman Walker will make his Shropshire debut against the county he played for in 2024.
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