Staffordshire continued their impressive recent form in the NCCA Twenty20 Cup by booking their place in the Super 12s stage of this year’s competition.
Staffs won the cup in 2023 and also reached finals day last summer… and took another step towards a third successive appearance in the showpiece by qualifying from Group One.
Staffordshire went into their final double header against Cumbria at Wolverhampton needing just a solitary point to secure a coveted top-three spot.
And it was mission accomplished without bowling a ball as the inclement weather saw the opening encounter abandoned to give Staffs the point they requited.
They then rounded off the day in winning fashion by securing a 47-run victory in game two to make it four straight wins from completed matches.
To top off the day, Northumberland’s double defeat at Cheshire meant Staffs topped the standings and will have home advantage in the Super 12s in August.
Their opponents will be confirmed in the coming days.
‘Excellent stand’
Staffordshire were invited to bat by Cumbria, with the visitors having already sealed their spot in the Super 12s section.
And they managed to make their way to 181-3 from their 20 overs, centred around half-centuries from Reeve Evitts (76no) and captain James Kettleborough (61no).
The duo forged a much-needed partnership after the home side had slipped to 52-3 in the eighth over of the innings.
Staffs debutant Rohan Vallabhaneni was the first to fall when he aimed a drive at a Louis Backhouse delivery, but could only edge through to keeper Finlay Richardson to depart for seven.
Lower order helps Development XI to victory over Cumbria
Nils Priestley carved Backhouse to Freddie Fallows at backward point after making 18, while Matthew Morris was snaffled at short fine leg by Leicestershire’s Chris Wright off Josh Stirling.
But they were Cumbria’s only successes as Evitts and Kettleborough set about compiling a matchwinning partnership.
Evitts, having emerged at number three, anchored matters, while Kettleborough moved through the gears as the innings progressed.
All-rounder Evitts passed the half-century mark off 33 balls, with Kettleborough taking an additional two deliveries to reach the landmark.
‘Upping the ante’
And the duo exploded into life in the closing stages of the innings as they put on 69 runs in the final five overs.
That took their partnership to 129 in just 12.3 overs to give Staffordshire a hugely-defendable total.
The stand was Staffordshire’s highest for any wicket in the competition, surpassing the 124 that Nils Priestley and Zen Malik shared for the first wicket in the 2023 semi-final victory over Berkshire.
It was also the highest fourth-wicket partnership in the history of the NCCA Twenty20 Cup.
Evitts hit 10 fours in his innings, while Kettleborough’s knock featured six boundaries and one six.
Cumbria’s innings started in frantic fashion and they found themselves 42-2 after just three overs. Left-arm spinner Priestley took the wickets to fall, with Fallows (12) top-edging a hoick up in the air for keeper Callum Hawkins to take, before Paul Hindmarch was bowled for 19.
The run rate in the first half of the innings wasn’t an issue for the Cumbrians, but Staffordshire had the happy knack of picking up wickets just as partnerships started to develop.
‘Spin to win’
Morris struck twice to account for Matthew Sempill (14) and Richardson (5) as Staffs managed to stem the flow of runs with regular breakthroughs.
Pace off the ball was proving to be a winning recipe for Staffs – and either side of the halfway point, Cumbria slumped to 87-6.
Ben Walkden was undone by a full delivery from slow left-armer Tom Brett and bowled for 18, and Wright was dismissed by the same bowler as he was pouched in the deep by Jack Redman.
Redman’s off-spin then grabbed the seventh wicket of the run chase when Nico Watt could only drill the ball to Kettleborough in the covers.
Staffordshire do the double over Cheshire to boost NCCA Twenty20 Cup chances
Cumbria were 108-7 at that point and had just five overs left to try to secure the win which would give them home advantage in the Super 12s.
Ben Davidson was Cumbria’s last hope of victory – but he couldn’t quite kick on as the run rate rose to unachievable proportions.
Sam Atkinson joined in the wicket fun in the penultimate over when Sam Sharp (11) provided another catch for keeper Hawkins.
Davidson finished on 37 not out for Cumbria at the end, but they were well adrift of their target as they closed on 134-8.
Main image: Reeve Evitts scored 76 not out in Staffordshire’s victory over Cumbria at Wolverhampton. Picture: David Peters