Cumbria’s opponents in Sunday’s NCCA semi-final specialise in cliffhangers when they play limited overs cricket.
Oxfordshire have already met Cumbria in a group game before the knock-out stage of the competition – and they tied.
Then in their quarter final tie with Suffolk Ollie Currill smashed a six off the final ball to send Oxfordshire through to Sunday’s semi-final clash with Cumbria.
With the hosts needing four to win off the last ball all-rounder Currill dispatched Jack Beaumont’s full toss to complete a sensational 76 not out off 35 balls.
Suffolk had set Oxon 282 to win in the 50-over competition and the chase seemed to be faltering when Jacob Townsend fell to leave the hosts 194-7.
But Currill and Prav Chahal put on 90 for the eighth wicket to secure an unlikely triumph and keep Rupert Evans’ side on course for their third National Counties trophy in 12 months.
But since then Oxfordshire’s winning streak ended abruptly as Berkshire cruised to a nine-wicket triumph in the NCCA Championship.
The hosts sealed victory on the final morning of the three-day match at Finchampstead CC as they knocked off the final 56 runs required.
Oxon had won their previous five games in all formats but could not extend their lead at the top of Western Division 1, with Berkshire now four points behind.
Then, after that as Cumbria were warming up for the semi-final against Lancashire, opponents Oxfordshire lost to Sussex in their NCCA Showcase game at Wormsley.
Sussex claimed a five-wicket win in the 50-over contest, bowling the hosts out for 205 and reaching their target with a third of their innings remaining.
Jonny Cater and Olly Clarke scored half-centuries for Oxon, while Robbie Shurmer returned bowling figures of 2-19.
It’s a similar run to Cumbria since their quarter final win over Cambridgeshire. They lost to Buckinghamshire in the NCCA Championship and were then beaten by Lancashire in the Showcase game.
