Hot Staff in T20 double win at Nantwich

NCCA T20 - Group 1

Cheshire v Staffordshire (Doble Header), Nantwich CC

Match 1: Cheshire 196-7 (20 overs), Shropshire 198-7(19.3 overs). Staffordshire won by 3 wickets

Scorecard & video highlights  Full highlights Group 1 Table NCCA Match Centre

Highlights: George Lavelle 51, Kevin Carroll 50, Rohan Luthra 2-15 (Cheshire) Nils Priestley 63, Matt Morris 52*,  Rory Haydon 4-28 (Staffordshire)

Match 2: Cheshire 128-9 (20 overs), Staffordshire 129-3 (11.5 overs). Staffordshire won by 7 wickets

Highlights: Michael Finan 31, Alex Money 30 (Cheshire), Nils Priestley 52, Liam Banks 35, Liam Banks 2-10 (Staffordshire)

Scorecard & video highlights  Full highlights.  Group 1 Table NCCA Match Centre

Jekyll and Hyde Cheshire fell to defeat at the double in their second T20 double header. Staffordshire proved too powerful both times round - the first a close finish in a game that swung both ways, the second a breeze as they romped home with eight overs to spare.

All this was in sharp contrast to Cheshire's double win over Shropshire last time out and although some forced changes to the side, Sam Perry's outfit struggled to find their rhythm. Oxton's Jack Corran made his debut and there were returns for Luke McCoy, Mike Finan and Will Valentine.

Put into bat first time round, a sluggish start exploded into life as Kevin Carroll struck 50 from just 17 balls including five 6s and four 4s. He and George Lavelle (51) added 70 and from looking like closing on an under par 140 or so, 196-7 was a decent knock. Rory Haydon shone with the ball taking 4-28.

However, Cheshire hadn't bargained for the might of Nils Priestley as the visitor's reply saw 24 from the first over. Some stunning batting followed, Priestley making 63 from 22 balls, Liam Banks 24 and Matt Morris 52*. 

With Staffordshire amassing 78 from the first five overs, the writing was on the wall but somehow, Cheshire pulled things round. Corran, Rohan Luthra and Andy Dufty all applied the brakes with two wickets apiece and with a couple of overs left, Cheshire seemed likely favourites. 

With 10 needed from the last over however, Morris and ex-Lancashire man, Liam Hurt saw things through with three balls left.

The second game was much more one-sided. Put into bat again, Cheshire struggled from the off, only Money (30) bagging runs in the top order. Mike Finan's late 31 though gave some respectability to a final 128-9 total, the wickets shared around five bowlers.

A shell-shocked home side then watched a re-run as Priestley plundered 52 and Banks 35*. Finan picked up 2-36 and Money's catch to dismiss Priestley was outstanding, but Staffordshire showed no mercy to win by 7 wickets in just the twelth over.

An entertaining day's play watched by a good sized crowd and magnificently hosted by Nantwich ultimately proved fruitless, but Cheshire go again in two weeks against Cumbria in Barrow-in-Furness before a home game with Northumberland at Oxton. Still all to play for in Group 1.