Cumbria make one change to their side for Sunday’s NCCA Trophy game with Oxfordshire at Kendal.
In replacing batsman Nathan Waterston by seam bowler Chris Wright the selectors have gone for County Championship experience.
Wright, 37, had played for Middlesex and Essex, but really made his mark for his third county Warwickshire where he helped them win the County Championship in 2012 when he formed an impressive opening attack partnership with Keith Barker.
Wright took over 50 first-class wickets in the season and that led to a call up to the England Lions teams, and a new four-year contract with Warwickshire.
However, the following season he suffered a stress-fracture of his back which hampered his progress and in July 2018 it was announced that he would make the move at the end of the season to Leicestershire, as first-team opportunities at Warwickshire had become scarce.
In September 2021, during a County Championship game with Derbyshire, Wright took his 500th first-class wicket which had followed a career-best 87 with the bat.
Born in Oxfordshire at Chipping Norton he will be playing his first Minor Counties One Day Trophy game since 2001 when he was 15 and went on to join the Middlesex Academy.
That had caused something of a rumpus in Hampshire at the time as he had come through their youth ranks. His father Alan had also played for Hampshire Over-50s.
Cumbria are playing their first game at Shap Road, Kendal since 2015 but actually played Oxfordshire twice last season in the same competition and travelled on both occasions.
The two sides met in the semi-final at Great and Little Tew with Cumbria winning by four wickets after restricting Oxfordshire to 212. The earlier Group match at Banbury was tied each side totalling 255 in their allotted 50 overs.
Overall since 1990 the two sides have met seven times in the One Day competition with Oxfordshire currently ahead 4-2 plus that tied match.
Oxfordshire have one of the strongest ties with a first class county (Sussex) and also have brought through several home developed players into first class cricket who are on neighbouring Gloucestershire’s books.
However, the side selected for Sunday is mixed in experience with three players Farhaan Khan, Luke Hayes and Tom Powell making their county debuts.
In terms of experience they continue to be led by captain Johnny Cater who together with the other announced players have between them almost 300 Minor and National County appearances.
The expected teams for Sunday are:
Cumbria
Michael Slack (Carlisle, capt), Sam Dutton (Furness), Freddie Fallows (Kendal), Finday Richardson (Kendal, wk), Matthew Sempill (Cockermouth), Sam Sharp (Cockermouth), Matthew Siddall (Cockermouth), Marcus Stables (Nantwich), Ben Walkden (Newton-le-WIllows), Nico Watt (Carlisle), Chris Wright (Dorridge).
Oxfordshire
Jamie Harrison (Kenilworth Wardens), Will Sutcliffe (Aston Rowant), Olly Clarke (Banbury), Johnny Cater (Great Brickhill capt, wk), Jamie Perkin (Dinton), Farhaan Khan (Oxford), Luke Hayes (Thame Town), Tom Powell (Cumnor), Darrel Williams (Barnt Green), Pravdeep Chahal (Barnt Green), Robbie Shurmer (Barnt Green).
It is Oxfordshire’s opening NCCA Trophy game this year while Cumbria had that thrilling last ball, one wicket win in Staffordshire.
Remarkably all three games that Cumbria have played this year have gone to the final ball, with only two surviving the weather in the T20 championship, and both being decided off the final delivery.
Sunday’s game is scheduled to start at 11am.
