In
the North division, holders Nottinghamshire needed to beat Derbyshire in the ‘A52
derby’ at Trent Bridge to progress and they did so courtesy of a dreadful
batting performance by the visitors. The Derby skipper Billy Godleman had
amassed more than five hundred runs during the tournament but he could add only
four more as Jake Ball (4-29) and spinner Matthew Carter (3-19) helped bowl
them out for a paltry 110. With run rates coming into the equation, Riki Wessels
clumped four sixes in one Qadri over and the rout was completed inside twelve
overs. The aggressive chase was successful, too, in that Notts did finish second
to secure a home play-off tie. It didn't matter that Alex Hales could muster only 38 runs from three innings.
Yorkshire
also progress thanks to victories over Roses rivals Lancashire and
Northamptonshire. Adam Lyth struck a second century in a week and, while
Kohler-Cadmore and Pujara suffered rare failures, England limited-overs
international David Willey stepped up to the plate with a rumbustious 131 and,
across his two games, seven wickets. However, it was Jonny Tattersall’s maiden
50 which saw them sneak home on the final day.
Warwickshire
beat Durham by five wickets in a match featuring no fewer than four centurions.
Richardson and Smith reached three figures for Durham but their visitors,
needing 300 to win, duly made them thanks to vintage batting from former international
partners Jonathan Trott (100) and Iain Bell (143 not out). In the concluding day-nighter
at Edgbaston, the final place was decided by a straight shootout between
Warwickshire and Worcestershire. The winner would top the group and get a bye
into the semi-finals while the loser would depart the competition. After a duck
in the preceding game, Moeen Ali rediscovered his form at the right time,
especially given Joe Clarke’s first-ball dismissal and Callum Ferguson bowled
by Stone for seven. Ali followed his admirable 3-40 with an excellent 114,
including five sixes. Supported by Ben Cox (80), he put Worcester into a winning
position. However, a flurry of wickets left them on 288-9, with plenty of overs
but still five runs short. Fortunately Ed Barnard was at the crease and able to
hit the winning boundary.
In
the South, Hampshire went into the final fixture already assured of progressing
but it was all very tight behind them. Surrey beat Middlesex in the all-London
tie but, two days earlier, had suffered a second massacre in the tournament
when Kent demolished them at Beckenham by 220 runs. Heino Kuhn struck 117, then
Darren Stevens’ 6-25 meant there was no way back. Glamorgan managed a
consolation victory over Sussex at Cardiff, with captain Colin Ingram’s runs
the only bright light in a woeful campaign.
Paul
Stirling’s third cup century lifted Middlesex spirits against Gloucestershire,
whose Royal London Cup hopes were ruined by three ‘no-results’. On the final
evening, Somerset went after Hampshire’s formidable score of 356-9 knowing that
it would be in vain should Essex beat Kent at Chelmsford. Oh, for another Kuhn
century and Stevens five-for. Instead it was David Lawrence – not known for his
white ball batting – and Ravi Bopara who made hundreds, while Jamie Porter’s
return netted 4-37. Therefore, by the time Craig Overton sneaked a winning
boundary from the very last ball, after Peter Trego’s 100 had done the hard
work, Somerset knew they had narrowly missed out. It hadn’t been a great day
for England’s new hero of sorts, Dom Bess, whose three overs went for 34.
However, Hampshire’s more illustrious last-minute signing, Dale Steyn, got
clouted for eighty. At least he wasn’t injured again.
So
next week’s ‘quarter-finals’ will see Notts hosting Kent and Yorkshire making
the trip to Essex, with Worcestershire and Hampshire awaiting the winners the
following weekend. I wouldn’t mind betting Notts will be in another final but I
can’t predict their opponents.
Team of the
Week:
Moeen Ali (Wor),
Kuhn (Ken), Godleman (Der), Trott (War), Willey (Yor), Foakes (Sur +), Richardson
(Dur), Stevens (Ken), Carter (Not), Crane (Ham), Ball (Not)
