County kickstart trophy mission with 26 run win
STAFFORDSHIRE banked their first two points of the NCCA Knockout Trophy campaign with a 26-run victory over Northumberland yesterday.
Staffs had opened up their Group One commitments with a poor performance in losing by two wickets to Cumbria in the first round of fixtures last weekend.
However, they recovered from that setback at Cockermouth to record a first win under new oneday captain Alex Mellor at Checkley.
The victory was always the most important factor, given that another defeat would have left Staffordshire with a near-impossible task to qualify for the latter stages of the competition.
But Mellor and director of cricket Dave Cartledge will still have been left with several areas which need improvement performancewise if they are to ensure their interest in the 50-over format extends beyond the group stage.
Staffordshire’s top-order largely failed to fire for the second week running - Louis Allison aside - and it required a rescue mission from Tim Maxfield and Rob Hemmings to propel Staffs to a handy 2937 from their allotted overs.
Maxfield’s and Hemmings’ good work looked to have been largely wasted when a poor start with the ball enabled Northumberland openers Alasdair Appleby and Jack Jessop to compile a stand of 105.
However, Staffordshire battled back, just in time, and managed to work their way through the Northumberland line-up to restrict them to 2679 at the close.
Defeat was largely unthinkable from a Staffordshire perspective ahead of play as they faced a Northumberland side who had lost their first two group matches and also made six changes to their side for the trip to Four Trees.
Staffs skipper Mellor opted to bat after winning the toss, but they lost Zen Malik to the fourth ball of the innings when he edged Matthew Oswell to Michael Allan at first slip to fall for a duck.
That provided a swift introduction to the encounter for Knockout Trophy debutant Allison, who went on to justify his selection with an aesthetically-pleasing innings.
The Porthill Park batsman was happy to take the lead alongside the more experienced Mellor as the duo carved out a 90-run stand.
Their alliance was ended when Mellor fell lbw to Callum Fletcher for 29, but Allison was soon recording his first Staffordshire half-century.
He reached the landmark off 52 balls, hitting eight fours and one six to provide an early glimpse of his NCCA potential to the appreciative Checkley crowd.
But he was tied down to a degree after reaching his 50 and he fell for 58 when he carved Matthew Scott to Oliver Mcgee on the boundary.
And with Jack Redman (seven) and Michael Hill (19) falling in quick succession, Staffordshire were in trouble on 128-5.
One of the county’s forte’s has been their long batting line-up, and it was both evident - and highly needed as Maxfield and Hemmings set about constructing an inningschanging partnership.
The pair compiled a 139-run stand for the sixth wicket in 15 overs to wrestle back the initiative from the visitors.
They moved through the gears and gradually upped the ante as they sent the ball flying to all parts of the Staffordshire Moorlands.
Hemmings required just 46 balls to contribute 68 - hitting seven fours and three sixesbut fell late in the day after gloving a Fletcher delivery through to wicketkeeper Michael Brown.
Ben Cotton fell swiftly in the chase for quick runs, but Maxfield saw out the innings to end on 88 not out - equalling his highest one-day score for Staffordshire.
The Brewood all-rounder struck 12 fours and two sixes in his 56-ball knock.
Fletcher finished with a couple of wickets for Northumberland, although their most impressive performer was left-arm spinner Ollie Mcgee, who claimed 1-28 from his 10 overs.
Northumberland raced out of the blocks in reply as Appleby and Jessop made
the most of a decent batting wicket and gorged on some indifferent bowling.
Their 100-run stand took just 13 overs, but they both fell with the score on 105.
Jessop was bowled by Cotton for 42 and Appleby, who made 53, skewed a catch to Alex Coates off the bowling of spinner Jack Redman.
The introduction of slow leftarmer Paul Byrne accounted for John Oswell, who was trapped lbw for 20, with Brown not lasting long at the crease as he was bowled by Redman.
That left Northumberland 135-4, but Allan and skipper Tom Cant advanced the score to 166-4 before Staffordshire could celebrate another quickfire double.
Toby Bulcock claimed his first Staffs wicket when Allan was pouched by Coates in the deep for 22, with Matthew Oswell following two balls later when he fell lbw to the left-arm tweaker.
That left Northumberland requiring 128 for victory from little more than 19 overs... and with only four wickets in hand.
But credit to Cant’s side, they refused to throw in the towel as the visitors’ skipper and Mcgee had their sights firmly set on denting Staffordshire’s hopes of recording that first success of the summer.
Their partnership was worth 50 - and had taken Northumberland to 216 in the 42nd over - when leg-spinner Malik tempted Cant into a big shot... and he found the safe hands of Redman at long on to fall for 43.
And the match was settled in the following over when Hemmings bowled Mcgee for a spirited 24.
Hemmings, brought on at the death to stem the Northumberland tide soon had his second victim when he bowled Fletcher for 14 to leave the visitors on 246-9.
Scott made an unbeaten 25 as the overs ticked down, but Staffordshire had done enough by that stage to ensure that victory was in the bag.
The win was hugely welcome, but both Mellor and Cartledge will be well aware that there is plenty more to come from this Staffordshire side.
They will be hoping that the first signs of real improvement emerge next weekend when they make the trip to Wem to take on Shropshire.
Shropshire will be looking to bounce back after being thrashed by Cheshire at Toft.
That has left Cumbria and Cheshire on four points, with Staffs and Shropshire on two and Northumberland propping up the rest with three straight defeats.