CHESHIRE HIT ROAD IN BID TO TRING HOME T20 SILVERWARE
CHESHIRE are aiming to emulate the Class of 2015 when they head to Tring Park to contest the NCCA Twenty20 finals day.
Nick Anderson’s side play Oxfordshire in the opening semifinal on Sunday, while fellow group winners Dorset and Cambridgeshire contest the second encounter, before the final takes place at 4pm.
Cheshire have fond memories of playing Oxfordshire in this particular National Counties Cricket Association format after beating them in the final of the inaugural competition seven years’ ago.
Warren Goodwin and Ollie Law both hit centuries as Cheshire powered their way to 240-0 before sealing a comfortable victory to lift the silverware.
Captain Anderson didn’t play in that contest, but was part of the Cheshire side which lost the 2018 final to Berkshire.
“Everyone is really excited for the day and it’s good that we’ve got the same side which has played all the way through,” said Anderson.
“The lads have earned the chance to play and they deserve it. Hopefully they all come through their club games on Saturday.
“It would be nice to be able to win it. We probably went into the competition with no expectations because we hadn’t played this format since 2019.
“But when you start doing well, you remember how to win and rediscover what it feels like.
“It’s exciting to think that we are just two games away from winning the competition.”
Cheshire won seven of their eight Group One matches to top the table, but only confirmed their place at finals day in the last game.
Staffordshire pushed Anderson’s side all the way, with Cheshire needing to beat Northumberland twice to guarantee their safe passage.
Cheshire launched two successful chases in the north east, reaching targets of 140 and 185 to claim the four points on offer.
Rob Sehmi, inset, and Sam Perry hit half-centuries in both games to ensure there were no alarms.
“It was pleasing to win chasing up at Northumberland,” admitted Anderson. “We beat Cumbria twice in the previous matches by defending scores.
“They were tight games, but at Northumberland we were basically playing knockout cricket and had to deal with that pressure. “It’s good to know that if we don’t get to choose what we do first on Sunday then we are capable of winning games both ways.
“I was actually less nervous in the second game at Northumberland, even though we were chasing a bigger total. “In the first game you don’t quite know what the wicket is like until both teams have batted, but we found out it was probably a 200-run wicket.
“We bowled really well to restrict them in that second game and I was confident we could knock off the score they set.” Oxfordshire booked their place at finals day on run-rate after topping Group Four at Bedfordshire’s expense.
Oxon are the current Championship title holders and will be hoping to include big-hitting Sussex youngster Harrison Ward in their line-up.
“Oxfordshire look like a seriously strong team, but then all four are going to be, that’s why they’re there,” said Didsbury all-rounder Anderson.
“We will have to be at our best to beat them. I don’t play a huge amount of three-day cricket for Cheshire, so I don’t know too much about them.
“That’s probably not a bad thing and this year we’ve gone with a fresh mindset and hopefully we can play to our best and find a way to win.
“I don’t think there will be any nerves - there probably would have
been before the Northumberland game because of what was at stake.
“Our plans have been clear and everyone is clear about the jobs they do. They know where they bat, when they’re going to bowl and even where they field.
“It’s good that we’re playing first as well. It means there won’t be any time for tension. You’re not waiting around, it’s straight from the hotel to the ground and into the action.
“We know we need to put in good individual performances if we want to win it. That’s our aim.”