Cheshire beat Derbyshire in Nantwich Showcase

(Photo - David Griffin photography)

Derbyshire 242 (49.3 overs), Cheshire 243-6 (35.2 overs). Cheshire won by 4 wickets

Scorecard and highlights YouTube highlights

Cheshire celebrated an outstanding four wicket win in their ECB Showcase game with Derbyshire at Nantwich.

Set 243 to win from 50 overs, Harry Dearden's side got home with neary 15 overs to spare as a large crowd lapped up the excitement in the sunshine.

Bryn Llewellyn and Kevin Carroll were the batting stars for Cheshire while Dearden and Sam Grant grabbed four wickets apiece.

Former Cheshire County League and Lancashire wicket-keeper/bat Brook Guest ensured a decent target for Cheshire as he pulled Derbyshire from the mire, he and Muhmmad Bin Naeem adding 127 for the seventh wicket.

Having faced Warwickshire and then Yorkshire last year, this is the third year running of the National County sides playing the first class counties ahead of their 50 over Metro Bank Trophy starting next week.

And it proved a memorable afternoon as a side missing a number of regular players due to local cup commitments, triumphed against the odds,

With the match clashing with two Cheshire Cup games and the Cheshire County League T20 Final's Day, there were a number of changes from the three day side well beaten by Oxfordshire in Thame.

Grant returned alongside Clifton Alliance colleague Bryn Llewellyn. Noah Kelly debuted, returns too for Widnes' Aaron Soni and record-breaking Will Evans. Youngster Rohan Luthra - again from Widnes -  stepped up from the 2s. 

Plaudits to Derbyshire who fielded a strong side after their T20 disappointment with Durham on Friday night.

But winning the toss and batting first, they saw Cheshire's bowling and fielding step up a level, including a spectacular flying boundary catch from Brookland's Carroll which drew applause from around the ground. 

With the visitors slipping to 85-6, Grant and Dearden were dictating.

But up stepped Guest to pull Derbyshire back into the game with a fine 97 including eight 4s and a 6. An eighth wicket partnership with Muhmmad Bin Naeem (62) saw an underpar but decent total of 242, the innings closing in the final over.

Grant eventually took 4-42 and Dearden grabbed 4-39. 

Daryn Dupavillon and Sam Conners tested the Cheshire openers and the early chase was hard going. 

With 50 on the board, half the runs in extras and Sam Perry and Kelly back in the hutch, the home side seemed a long way from a potential upset. 

Evans and Llewellyn however had different ideas, turning things round, adding 84 for the third wicket. Once Evans had departed for 33, an unfazed Luthra (13) supported before the Llewellyn and Carroll show took over to really seize the initiative. 

Carroll carried on where he left off in the KO Trophy game with Wiltshire, plundering 62. His 50 came from just 18 balls and included five 6s and three 4s, while Llewellyn peppered the boundary and carried his bat for 91 with 12 fours.

A memorable four wicket win for Cheshire against the odds that will give them great confidence moving forward. A game too that highlighted some great potential.  

Next up for Cheshire sees a return to Nantwich next Sunday for their second Western Division 1 Championship game - with Berkshire (Sun-Tue, 28-30 July). Derbyshire's Metro Bank campaign gets underway with a trip to Northampton on Wednesday.