Cumbria take a week off from playing in the Durant Cricket Championship as attention now turns to the National Counties’ Showcase game with Lancashire.
This Sunday sees the fourth year of a weekend of showcase games where the NCCA National Counties take on first class counties. As in each of the previous years Cumbria play Lancashire at Sedbergh School.
Both teams could probably claim this as a home game, both possibly view it as an opportunity for their players to shine, in Lancashire’s players case maybe pushing for a first team place in the Metro Bank One Day Cup, in Cumbria’s case it’s an opportunity to play against a team of fully professional players.
Cumbria’s team again shows changes from the previous game against Cambridgeshire when they folded in the second innings when only faced with a target of 86 to win the game.
Once again Matthew Sempill (Cockermouth) steps up to captain the side in place of injured club captain Michael Slack while returning to the side are Josh Brown (Cockermouth), Ali Craig (Penrith) and Will Fraine (York).
Others selected are: Freddie Fallows (Kendal), Ed Moulton (Chorley), Sam Sharp (Kendal), Josh Stirling (Carlisle), Ben Walkden (Newton-le-Willows), Nico Watt (Carlisle) and Evan Williams (Kendal) who all played in the last match at Kendal at the weekend.
Just six of those named played in the corresponding fixture last year and the match represents a return to fitness for Will Fraine who was injured warming up prior to the recent Trophy match against Lincolnshire.
Without all their international players and the others who are contracted to play in the Hundred as with last year this almost halves the availability of Lancashire’s professional squad. Lancashire have given us a 13 strong squad: Keaton Jennings (captain), Harry Singh, Josh Bohannon, Tom Bruce, George Bell, George Lavelle wk, George Balderson, Jack Blatherwick, Tom Bailey, Will Williams, Charlie Barnard, Josh Boyden and Jack Morley.
Changes are probable to their line-up and it is not impossible that their recent youngest professional signing 16-year-old Rocky Flintoff may be available after representing England U19 this week together with club and England teammates Charlie Barnard and Kesh Fonseka.
Singh and Lavelle have represented Cumbria earlier this season while both Charlie Barnard and Josh Boyden have represented Cheshire. Tom Bruce will be a familiar name to some as he was Netherfield’s pro in 2016 before he became a T20 international for New Zealand.
The match is scheduled to start at 11am on Sunday, weather permitting. It is free entry.
