Staffordhire edge closer to quarters

Leek was the venue for the game between Staffordshire and Hertfordhire last week

Staffordshire took a massive step towards qualifying for the quarter-final stages of the Minor Counties Knockout Trophy when they edged out visitors Hertfordshire in a tense and nervy finish at Leek's Highfield ground.

After electing to bat, Hertfordshire openers Steven Gale and Gary Brown progressed to 28 before Staffordshire newcomer Will Purser gained reward for an excellent opening spell by finding the edge of Gale's bat with wicketkeeper Goodwin doing the rest.

Staffordshire's pace attack kept up the pressure and continued to take wickets at regular intervals to ensure the visiting batsmen were unable to push home their advantage after winning the toss. Skipper Andy Lewis departed for one before Ed Jones, playing on his home ground, dismissed Brown for 30.

Former Middlesex and England Under-19 batsman Aaron Laraman pulled Jones over the fine-leg boundary but that was to be his only scoring shot as he fell to a catch at square leg off the same bowler.

Purser returned to the attack to claim the crucial wicket of the hard-hitting former Surrey batsman David Ward for 38 made from just 39 balls.

A seventh-wicket partnership of 37 between Tom Jenkins (26) and Nick Lamb (27) pushed the score up to 154 before the seventh wicket fell and the innings then came to a rapid end at 164..

Fittingly the final victim fell to the hands of Knypersley skipper Paul Goodwin as the wicketkeeper claimed his sixth catch and created a new record for dismissals in one-day cricket for the county and equalling the Minor Counties record in the competition.

All looked to be comfortable for Staffordshire at that point, but they were rocked after losing two wickets without a run on the board in their response.

However, at 151 for five, they looked set to comfortably reach their target.

But the loss of Paul Goodwin and Mo Sheikh without addition to the total followed by the suicidal run out of Ed Jones at 156, left them requiring nine runs from three overs with two wickets in hand.

The tension eased when from the first ball of the final over, Audley's Craig Barker lifted a ball from Ben Frazer to the long-on boundary to conclude a two wicket success, which leaves qualification for the next stage in their own hands.

Captain Richard Harvey was both pleased and relieved with the outcome saying: "We bowled very well. We made it very difficult for them on a good cricket wicket which had plenty of carry and pace which is what we wanted.

“The batting stuttered at the start. We then rebuilt well but lost wickets at bad times and made it closer than it should have been.

“The important thing is we got over the finishing line. It sets us up nicely for our final match at Suffolk as we now know if we win we will top the group."