Staffordshire v Northumberland Dovecliff Road, Rolleston-on-Dove Unicorns T20 Group 1

Miserable day at the office for Staffordshire as they lose both T20 matches

Northumberland chalk up their first wins of the Group One campaign

by Chris Travers

Staffordshire suffered double disaster in the Unicorns Twenty20 Cup at Rolleston yesterday.

Northumberland waltzed back to the north east with two wins to finally kickstart their Group One campaign - and deservedly so.

Staffordshire, who had opened their limited overs season with a T20 win and defeat against Cheshire at Nantwich, were eyeing up two wins to keep their hopes of finals days qualification firmly intact.

And they had every reason to be optimistic against a side who had lost all four group games ahead of yesterday’s double header.

Instead, Staffordshire were left mulling over some indifferent batting which proved to be costly in both encounters.

They were well placed to complete a run chase in the morning match, but conspired to throw away their advantage to hand Northumberland a nine-run win.

It was a similar story in game two as Staffs - batting first this time - put themselves in a position to post a total close to the 200-mark before the innings fell away.

They could only reach 160-7 in the end ... and Northumberland’s batsmen showed the way by knocking off the runs for the loss of just three wickets and with two-and-a-half overs to spare.

Staffordshire’s day had started poorly as they were made to toil in the field in the early stages of the first match.

Northumberland openers Alasdair Appleby and Adam Hickey gorged on some poor home bowling to put on 50 inside six overs.

Their partnership had progressed to 87 before Appleby was caught and bowled by Matthew Morris for 34.

That wicket gave Staffordshire the boost they needed, but the visitors still reached three figures in the 12th over and were handily placed to post a huge total.

Staffs, to their credit, found their bowling rhythm and managed to drag the situation back in the middle and closing overs.

Hickey, who made a stunning century in the Unicorns Knockout Trophy loss to Cheshire earlier in the summer, continued his good form with 78 prior to falling to seamer Brinder Phagura.

But captain Thomas Cant added a late 28 to inch Northumberland to 171-6 from their allocation.

Phagura finished with 2-25 from his four overs, with Morris taking 2-36.

Staffs were quick out of the blocks in reply, despite losing Peter Wilshaw early on and managed to reach their 100 in the 11th over.

That was largely thanks to the efforts of Kadeer Ali (48) and Michael Hill.

Hill reached his 50 off only 39 balls, hitting five fours and three sixes, but perished without addition to start Staffordshire’s collapse.

Staffs only needed to play sensible cricket, but it wasn’t forthcoming. Zen Malik made 23, but the pressure of the run chase became all too much for them.

The equation came down to 20 off the last two overs, but it was too late for the hosts, who were bowled out for 162 with one ball remaining.

Ross Sinclair captured 3-22 and there were double strikes for Ollie McGee and Max Williamson.

Wilshaw, the maker of half-centuries in both matches against Cheshire at Nantwich, was delighting the Rolleston crowds with some clean hitting in game two.

Ali and Hill were early casualties for Staffs, but Wilshaw ploughed on as he found his groove.

His latest T20 50 arrived in just 29 balls and he looked odds on to reach a ton.

However, having made 88 he was expertly caught by a running - and then diving - McGee to put the brakes on Staffs’ quest for runs.

In fact, none of his team-mates could back up his fine innings with only Louis Allison (16) and Malik (15) doing anything of note.

It led to Staffs posting a suitably underwhelming 160-7 ... well short of where they should have been.

Northumberland now had the momentum in a game Staffs badly needed to win - and the visitors were in no mood to let that advantage slip.

Appleby was an early faller in the chase, but Northumberland merely dusted themselves down and cracked on with the job in hand.

Hickey and Chris Peareth took responsibility for affairs, moving the score from 44 to 91 before they were parted - Hickey exiting for 38.

However, such was their impressive play, time was very much on their side and no risks needed to be taken.

Peareth reached a 39-ball 50, but was out moments later when he was trapped lbw by leg spinner Malik.

At that point, though, Northumberland only needed 16 to win with plenty of overs in the bag ... and it was a formality that they doubled their money on the day.

It’s probably too late for them to have an impact on this year’s competition and Staffs, with three defeats from four, are in he same boat.

It’s certainly a case of going back to the drawing board for Staffordshire as they search for a way to find a consistent, winning formula in the short format.