Minor Counties

Even without any significant recruits this season, Cheshire, the Minor Counties champions, are only one match away from reaching the quarter-finals of the MCCA Knockout Trophy. A home victory over Shropshire on faster run-rate in a rain-affected match at Neston followed an opening triumph over Bedfordshire. It means that a win away to Oxfordshire at Great & Little Tew on Sunday would assure qualification.

Andrew Hall, who led Cheshire in their 35-run defeat by Suffolk in last year's final at Lord's, said: “To recover from 100 for six to 219 for seven and beat Shropshire was a valiant effort. Jason Whittaker and Matthew Dawson batted well to make half-centuries and get us out of trouble.”

Shropshire were 49 for three when rain ended play. Cheshire still have Ben Spendlove and Nathan Dumelow, but Chris Bassano, a third former Derbyshire player, has left to start a fishing business in Tasmania.

Clubs

On the same weekend that West Bromwich Albion FC celebrated winning the Coca-Cola Championship, the town's cricket team, West Bromwich Dartmouth, were bowled out for 27, the lowest score in the history of the Birmingham & District Premier League, away to Knowle & Dorridge.

Nick Warren, who was released by Warwickshire at the end of 2006, returned the remarkable analysis of 8-5-8-5, with Elliott Wilson taking three for nine. Knowle & Dorridge had already batted, scoring 218.

Two other teams were also bowled out for under 100 in the Birmingham League. Shifnal, making their debut in the league after promotion, were all out for 85 away to Barnt Green, for whom Dougie Brown, the former Warwickshire all-rounder, took five for 20 to engineer an 81-run victory. Walsall, last year's champions, skittled Leamington for 53 after scoring 232. Brad Wilson, their Northern Districts batsman, hit 103 not out before Paul Wicker took four for six in 3.3 overs.

Schools cricket

Early season results show how difficult it is to remain top dog consistently without a steady stream of cricket scholars or other imports (Douglas Henderson writes). Some of the strongest sides in the country in recent years have suffered defeats in the first three weeks, and all to local rivals. The Perse, in Wisden’s list of top schools for two years, lost their 34-match unbeaten record to fellow Cambridge school The Leys, Oakham suffered defeat at the hands of Uppingham, and even the mighty Merchiston Castle (54 wins from 57 school matches in the last five years) were defeated by rival Edinburgh school Fettes.

One import making his mark was Dalton Polius, a 17-year-old St Lucian who scored his first century for Woodhouse Grove against Silcoates in only his fourth game. The innings included six sixes and ten fours. Polius, a Windward Islands Under-19 and West Indies Under-15 player, was offered a place at the Grove after scoring 170 for Castries High School against Woodhouse Grove on their tour of St Lucia in February 2007. Silcoates must have approached the game with trepidation since last year Woodhouse Grove scored 407-2 against them. Happily, they won the toss and batted, to prevent a repetition.

There was a thrilling finish at Forest where the visitors, Bancroft’s, struggled on a wet wicket with only Anand Patel (58), James Taplin (37) and several dropped catches making significant contributions. Forest batted steadily with Joe Hawkes scoring 51, but some excellent catching saw Bancroft’s home by six runs with a ball to spare.

Sedbergh declared on a challenging 246-9, despite a fine bowling performance by Durham’s 15-year-ld Lewis Hall (5-47). He was, however, eclipsed by Jordan Clark who took 5- 45 to bowl out the visitors for 121. He had earlier scored a century for Sedbergh against Giggleswick.

A combination of widespread poor weather and quarter-term exeats meant that little schools cricket was played in the latter part of last week.

Results:

*Leys 170-8 (35 overs), Perse 78

*Wellingborough 278-4 (40 overs)(J Johnson 119), Lord Williams’s, Thame 125

*George Watson’s 157-8 (35 overs), Fettes 158-7

*Uppingham 166-4 (38 overs), Oakham 123

*Merchiston Castle 166-7 (40 overs), Dollar Academy 102

Hampton 168 (50 overs), *RGS Guildford 68

*Merchant Taylors' , Northwood 196-9 dec, Westminster 69 (R Patel 5-21)

City of London Freemen's 127 (40 overs), *Trinity, Croydon 107

Haberdashers' Aske's 198-4 (50 overs), *Berkhamsted 141

*St Peter's, York 205, Bradford GS 208-8

High School of Glasgow 94 (27 overs), *Glasgow Academy 57

Silcoates 145, *Woodhouse Grove 146-3 (D Polius 106 not out)

Felsted 217-7 dec, *Bishop's Stortford HS 178-8

*Felsted 229-9 dec, Essex Under-17 82-2 (rain)

Uppingham 281-7 dec, *Felsted 223-6

Caterham 125-9 (40 overs), *Sutton Valence 126-5

MCC 172-6 dec, *Millfield 173-6

St George’s, Weybridge 107 (45 overs), *St John's, Leatherhead 108-2

Sussex Martlets 129 (Wicks 5-42), *St George's, Weybridge 131-4

*Taunton 262-8 (50 overs), Blundell's 102

*Wellington, Somerset 134-9 (50 overs), Queen's, Taunton 135-7

*Sedbergh 246-9 dec (L Hall 5-47), Durham 121 (J Clark 5-45)

Uppingham 281-7 dec, *Felsted 221-6

Denstone 123-9 (35 overs), *King’s, Macclesfield 124-8

*Denstone 237-6 dec, Newcastle-under-Lyme 105

*Prior Park 89, Monkton Combe 90-2

Culford 184-8 dec, *Norwich 117-7

Bancroft's 164-9 (50 overs). *Forest 158

*Eastbourne 197-6 (50 overs), Brighton 202-2

*Wellington (Berks) 264 (L Durandt 123), Eton 154

Perse 202-6 dec, *Chigwell 122-7

*Wellington (Somerset) 153-7 (40 overs), Exeter 138

*Wellington (Somerset) 134-7 (50 overs), Queen's, Taunton 136-7

*Enfield GS, John Lyon 121–5

King's, Rochester 183 (40 overs),*Cranbrook 103

Winchester 127, *Cranleigh 130-8

Eltham 130 (50 overs),*Reigate GS 131-4

Tonbridge 172, *Charterhouse 175-5.

Bedford Modern 66, *Stamford 67-6

King’s Taunton Twenty/20 tournament:

*King’s, Taunton 145-8 (20 overs), Taunton 123

Blundell’s 112, *King’s, Taunton 113-4

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