Staffordshire’s hopes of a third successive appearance at NCCA Twenty20 Cup finals day were ended after they were dumped out of the competition at the Super 12s stage.
Staffs had won their last four completed matches in the group stages to secure home advantage against Norfolk and Herefordshire at Moddershall & Oulton.
But Staffs failed to make the most of being on home turf as they struggled to find any batting rhythm in suffering defeats to both of their rivals.
They lost by seven wickets to Norfolk in the opening clash, which left them needing to beat Herefordshire in the second encounter to retain any hope of progressing.
However, they couldn’t find their winning recipe and went down by six wickets, despite an heroic effort taking it to the final ball.
The inclement weather meant that the day’s action didn’t start until 2pm with all three matches reduced to 10 overs per side.
Staffordshire, who won the cup in 2023 and also reached finals day last summer, had already been asked to bat by Norfolk captain Sam Arthurton which push backed a proposed 11.15am start to well into the afternoon.
‘Poor start’
And with that extra delay came the reduction in overs to half of the usual 20 overs for each team.
But Staffs couldn’t build any partnerships as Norfolk seized control of the contest and never relinquished it.
Staffordshire may well have been thinking it wasn’t going to be their day when, in the second over, Nils Priestley was unfortunate to be adjudged lbw to seamer Joe Everett.
Matt Morris could have no complaints from the next delivery, though, when he was bowled to leave the hosts on 3-2.
‘The celebration was a release of all of my emotions’
That set the tone for the remainder of the innings as Staffs were chasing their tail as the East Anglians picked up wickets at regular intervals.
Liam Banks made 22 before he smashed a full toss from Everett down the throat of Hamidullah Qadri at long on.
Callum Hawkins added 17 not out, but at the end of their 10 overs, Staffordshire had only managed to post 66-6.
Everett was the pick of the Norfolk attack, finishing with 3-9 from his allotted two overs.
‘Time on their side’
Norfolk knew they could take their time in knocking off the runs in reply.
They also had the added incentive of exacting revenge after they were well beaten by Staffordshire in last season’s Super 12s at Manor Park.
Openers Freddie Fairey and Arthurton put on 26 in quick time before the former was stumped by Hawkins off spinner Priestley for 15.
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Arthurton was trapped lbw slow left-armer Tom Brett for 11, but at 41-2, Norfolk had broken the back of their target and still had virtually half of their overs remaining.
Ben Wilcox contributed 24 before he suffered the same fate as Fairey, but Alfie Cooper made 12 not out as Norfolk won with an over to spare.
‘All or nothing’
Staffordshire went into the second game against Herefordshire knowing it was win or bust for them.
Once again they were asked to bat first – and it was a similar story for them with the willow.
Inside the first two overs, Priestley, Banks and Reeve Evitts were all back in the pavilion with only 16 runs on the board.
That poor start left Staffs firmly on the back foot and once again they couldn’t break free of the shackles, this time imposed by Herefordshire.
Morris made 16 and Liam Hurt struck 10 not out, but Staffordshire limped to 60-9 from their allocation.
Roshan Vankataraman picked up 3-11.
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Staffs performed superbly with the ball, however, to almost pull of an unlikely triumph.
Rory Haydon struck twice early on to dismiss Sinel Gunarathne and Ollie Walker – both batters caught in the deep by Sam Atkinson. Taylor Cornall struck 13, but after five overs, Hereford had only accumulated 22 runs.
Skipper Matt Pardoe took the run chase deep, but in the penultimate over he feathered Hurt behind to Hawkins to exit for 18.
And that left Herefordshire needing 13 runs from the final over of the game.
However, James Rudge (24no) kept his composure to see his side past the post off the last delivery.
Norfolk then beat Herefordshire to reach finals day later this month, where they will be joined by Northumberland, Dorset and Oxfordshire.
Main image: Liam Banks made 22 for Staffordshire against Norfolk in the NCCA Twenty20 Cup Super 12s. Picture: Pete Stonier