With just one round of group fixtures remaining in the One-Day Cup, qualification from Group A is very much up for grabs, but in Group B, three counties have opened up a slight gap on the chasing pack. As was the case last week, Middlesex, Yorkshire and Durham are clinging on to the crucial spots.
Middlesex are the only team definitely through. They easily defeated Derbyshire but Durham proved a tougher proposition. At Chester-le-Street, the home side passed 300, anchored by Alex Lees’s 103 before Geddes (77) and Cracknell (84) kept up the pace of the chase. However, it needed some late, lusty blows from Roland-Jones and Brookes to take the leaders over the line with three balls to spare. Yorkshire remain second on superior run rate but their five-wicket win over Derbyshire also went to the final over. Two century stands, each involving Aussie Sam Whiteman, the Tykes’ reply, while George Hill’s acceleration to 63 not out off 49 balls ultimately proved decisive.
Hampshire and Worcestershire can still crash the party with convincing victories this week and a little luck. Worcestershire’s home fixture against Durham is the tastiest and could be a winner-takes-all affair. Skipper Jake Libby has taken a liking to this competition. He followed two centuries last week with another pair against Sussex and Glamorgan: four in a row!
The Welsh were involved in two cliffhangers. Andy Gorvin’s edge to the third-man boundary from the last ball secured the triumph over Worcestershire, Libby’s 105 notwithstanding, but in the preceding match against Essex, with Timm van der Gugten blazing away to a maiden List A hundred, they fell agonisingly short. Needing only six from McKenzie-Jones’s concluding over, the centurion and Gorvin could scramble just two singles. The Essex innings was lunched in style by Noah Thain – who has exceeded 70 in his past five innings – and Luc Benkenstein, whose 140 was the highest of the week.
The best team total belonged to Hampshire. Their 383-9 against Sussex was predicated on a 225-run opening partnership between Ali Orr and teenager Ben Mayes. At number three, Toby Albert also enjoyed himself. His 86 included six sixes in successive deliveries, although spread over two overs. In the very tight Group A, Leicestershire lost their last game, against Kent, but sit top of the table. Their four-point margin should see them reach the knockouts but it is not certain. Nottinghamshire beat Northants but surprisingly lost to Gloucestershire.
A magnificent 114 from Tom Lammonby inspired Somerset to a 188-run demolition of the hated Surrey but hopes of progress were then thwarted by a heavy defeat at the hands of Northamptonshire, with all-rounder Luke Procter in the starring role. Beating Lancashire this week could yet secure a place in the last six but it is unlikely.
Team of the Week: Benkenstein (Ess), Lammonby (Som), Bell-Drummond
(Ken), Libby (Wor), Geddes (Mid), Procter (Nor), Verreynne (Not +), Van der
Gugten (Gla), Douthwaite (Gla), B Green (Lei), Lawes (Sur)
