Staffordshire see their Trophy hopes ended by defeat
Staffordshire bowed out of the NCCA Trophy with a rain-affected defeat to Buckinghamshire.
Skipper James Kettleborough led his team into yesterday’s match at Moddershall and Oulton knowing they required a win and for results elsewhere to fall in their favour if they were to escape Group D and reach the knockout stages.
But their hopes were dashed by a combination of some blistering Bucks batting, strong death bowling and thunderstorms which saw the match prematurely halted with the visitors claiming a nine-wicket triumph via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system.
Callum Hawkins smacked 53 from 48 balls to get Staffs off to an excellent start after Kettleborough had won the toss and chosen to bat and the skipper (61 from 63 balls) and Michael Hill (71 from 91) were able to continue the momentum.
But from sitting 221-4 with more than seven overs to go, the hosts then saw their innings stall and the final total of 259-9 felt a little disappointing.
It also made Buckinghamshire’s task easier with rain threatening and at 105-1 when the heavens opened to bring a premature end, they were well ahead of the required rate on DLS.
Bucks opener AJ Woodland finished unbeaten on 55 from 61 balls, Rory Hayden taking the sole Staffs wicket when he had Ewan Cox caught by Kettleborough for 21.
