COUNTIES CRICKET T20 Root set to debut for Wales
- Details
- Created on Sunday, 24 May 2026 08:48
- Last Updated on Sunday, 24 May 2026 10:39
- Published on Sunday, 24 May 2026 08:48
- Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent
Berkshire host Oxfordshire at Wargrave in Group Three and have added off-spinner Sully Akhtar to the side that beat Wiltshire by one wicket last week to sneak into the 50 Overs Trophy quarter-finals.
Johnny Connell leads the side in a competitive match for the first time fresh from battering Sussex’s first-choice attack for a 44-ball century in a Showcase T20 match on Wednesday.
Former Sussex batter Zach Lion-Cachet takes over Oxfordshire’s captaincy from Harrison Ward who is on Vitality Blast duty with Sussex.
Former Berkshire all-rounder Rhodri Lewis will captain Wales NC for the first time against Bedfordshire in their double-header at the Sudbrook club in Caldicot.
Glamorgan batter Billy Root, the younger brother of England’s Joe, is set for his competitive debut for Wales having played for them in two Showcase T20 matches against Gloucestershire last year.
Root, who has previous National Counties experience with Suffolk, is one of five contracted Glamorgan players in Wales’ squad alongside Romano Franco, Henry Hurle, Jack Hope-Bell and Callum Nicholls.
Bedfordshire have called up Scotland Under-19s batter/wicketkeeper Theo Robinson for his National Counties debut.
Last season's beaten finalists Dorset begin their campaign with a trip to Eastnor to face Herefordshire in Group Four.
Will Tripcony will captain a side that includes six more survivors from that final, with Bournemouth seamer James Brehaut a potential debutant.
Herefordshire are missing wicketkeeper Luke Powell, an ever-present in all three formats for three seasons.
Powell suffered a knee ligament injury in last weekend’s friendly against MCC so Glynn Gunston will take over behind the stumps against Dorset.
Former Worcestershire and Leicestershire all-rounder George Rhodes is unavailable due to work commitments but Olly Cox makes his first appearance of the season alongside his younger brother Joel, an Exeter University all-rounder who has yet to play National Counties cricket.
Batter Cyrus Shafi, who played for Herefordshire last season, will make his competitive debut for Wiltshire against Devon at the North Devon club in Instow.
Shafi played for Wiltshire in their Showcase T20 match against Glamorgan at Swindon last week and comes into today’s squad along with another newcomer, Oxford UCCE seamer Sam Freestone.
Freestone has impressed for the students – who are captained by Wiltshire batter Tom Cheater – this season and is now in line for a National Counties debut.
Devon give T20 debuts to seamers Craig Penberthy and James Matravers with Rhys Davies making his first appearance of the season.
Ben Privett has recovered from a foot injury but captain Lawrence Walker is ruled out by a broken thumb so Callum Harvey will again lead the side.
Holders Norfolk will be without Ben Wilcox, who starred with a match-winning innings in last season’s National Counties T20 final, when they begin their title defence with a double-header against Lincolnshire at Sprowston.
Wilcox made 73 to help Norfolk to a 12 runs victory over Dorset in the showpiece at Wormsley and also deputised as captain as Sam Arthurton was ruled out of Finals Day by an ankle injury.
But Wilcox, who made 94 not out in last week’s Trophy victory over Bedfordshire, is unavailable this weekend along with his younger brother Arthur and seamer Brett Stolworthy so Norfolk will face Lincolnshire with four changes to the side that defeated Dorset.
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