Avid watchers of county cricket typically plan their attendance at matches with the aid of a satnav, a railway timetable and maybe a hotel booking website. This week, however, they may have needed a crystal ball, a selection of fortune cookies and a pack of tarot cards. Such was the complexity of the options arising from the last round of qualifying matches in the Metro Bank One Day Cup that we were well into Tuesday evening before it was clear who would be playing who in the quarter finals starting less than 48 hours later.
The esoteric way in which the tournament works is that the counties are split into two groups and the top team in each group progresses directly into a semi final. The teams finishing second and third contest quarter finals with the winners moving to the semis. And just to provide further complication, who finishes where in the group has often to be determined by the somewhat obscure concept of net run rate. Are you with me so far? Pay attention, there, at the back!
The main drama in the last round of group matches occurred in Group B. But even in Group A, there was excitement and uncertainty. Had Gloucestershire won their match against Hampshire, they would have topped the group. As it was, they lost, which allowed Worcestershire (winners over Surrey) to progress straight to the semi-final stage and Hampshire themselves to earn a home quarter-final place. Except that the home tie won’t happen – Hampshire’s Utilita Bowl ground is occupied with another competition that Latin scholars refer to as C. Although they have a history of using many out-grounds such as Dean Park in Bournemouth, May’s Bounty in Basingstoke and even on the Isle of Wight, Hampshire opted to forego their home advantage.
And so to Group B.
Yorkshire and Somerset won their final qualifying matches and took first and second places in the group. But who would join them? Warwickshire and Middlesex were level with each other on points, with Warwickshire having a slightly better run rate. So if Warwickshire won, they would go through, even if Middlesex beat Lancashire. By about 5.00 pm, Warwickshire were almost home and dry against Sussex. They were on 228 for 4 and needed 52 more to win from just over 11 overs). Middlesex, on the other hand, were almost down and out. Chasing 292 to beat Lancashire, they were 127-6.
Roll forward an hour and a half and two miracles had occurred. Sussex (who had no hope of qualifying) had bowled out Warwickshire thanks to five wickets from leg-spinner Archie Lenham who is normally well down the pecking order amongst Sussex’s crop of spinners. In the meantime, a half-century from Nathan Fernandes (only his second in List A matches) had revived Middlesex’s hopes.
Even so, when Fernandez was ninth out in the last over for 92, Middlesex needed eight more to win. Somehow, aided by some crazy Lancashire bowling and fielding, Middlesex got home with a ball to spare. It will not have escaped the notice of Bears fans that one of the last pair, Nathan Gilchrist, is joining Warwickshire next year.
And so Middlesex not only went through but took advantage of Hampshire’s generosity to claim a home tie at Radlett
Devoted fans can now discard those crystal balls and revert to more orthodox ways of planning their watching. So here are the fixtures to come:
Thu, 28 August at 12.00
Quarter Finals
Hampshire v Middlesex at Radlett
Somerset v Gloucestershire at Taunton
Sunday 31 August at 12.00
Semi- Finals
Worcestershire v (TBA) at Worcester
Yorkshire v (TBA) at Scarborough
Saturday 20 September at 11.00 am – Final at Trent Bridge
