Bucks have one foot in the Championship Final
On Sunday 20th August Bucks take on Suffolk in their final 3-day National Counties Championship match. The game takes place at Copdock Cricket Club, just outside Ipswich (11am to 7pm daily).
Bucks need just 6 pts to win the Eastern Division One title & progress to the final against the winners of Western Division One. If Suffolk win with full bonus points (4 batting & 4 bowling) they can overtake Bucks & Staffs by one point. Staffs meanwhile are 4 points ahead, having played all their matches.
The final will be played at West Bromwich Dartmouth CC. It’s a 4-day game as opposed to the usual 3-day game and takes place from Sunday 3rd Sep to Wednesday 6th Sep. Bucks have a very good red ball side this year and stand a very good chance (possibly playing Berkshire or Oxfordshire in the final) - providing there isn’t a disaster at Ipswich!
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Lunch on day one at Copdock, Suffolk are 123-4 off 34 after winning the toss. A wicket for each of the Bucks bowlers.
Suffolk all out for 197 off 60.5 overs. Ed Bragg 4-68.
https://ncca.play-cricket.com/website/results/5617175
You can watch the live stream on https://www.youtube.com/live/abcQkUEF7pY
Suffolk cannot now overtake Bucks, whose four bowling points takes them level with Staffs, who have completed their fixtures. Not sure of the rules but, as Bucks have beaten Staffs, I think Bucks would finish above Staffs in the event of a tie. To make sure Bucks need one batting point, if they reach 175 runs.
Close, Bucks 141-5 off 46 overs, still 34 from that first batting point. It was a tense last session, the seam and spin bowlers caused plenty of problems, not helped by a senseless run out.
I'm only at Copdock today, will post score updates tomorrow.
Thanks for the updates @Steve_Peart
Today's live stream is on https://www.youtube.com/live/lptJHAuoIzk
Bucks 179-6, first batting point gained. Bucks are champions and can now concentrate on getting a lead and a result.
Lunch, Bucks are 312 all out off 88.1, a lead of 115.
A very good morning for Bucks. George Harvey made 92 off 157 balls, and put on 83 for the eighth wicket with Conner Haddow (39).
17 year old Harvey, who plays for Eastcote, Middx, is making his first team debut for Bucks, deputising for keeper Ross Richardson, and has looked very good with gloves and bat. He came in yesterday facing hostile bowling, but has looked comfortable throughout and has put Bucks in a strong position.
https://ncca.play-cricket.com/website/results/5617175
Tea, Suffolk 106-0 off 31 overs, nine runs behind.
Close on day 2, Suffolk 216-5 off 67, a lead of 101.
Afternoon session dominated by Suffolk but Bucks came back strongly after tea.
https://ncca.play-cricket.com/website/results/5617175
Today's final day live stream at Copdock is on https://www.youtube.com/live/gPVDpNtquvM?si=AY6Ljm10fPpl3OLr, with an 11:00 start.
Attention turns to who Bucks will face in the Grand Final on 3-6 September, at West Bromwich Dartmouth CC.
There are three teams in contention in Western Division 1. Berkshire are top on 50 points, having completed their matches. Oxfordshire have 49 points after getting six batting and bowling points, Devon have 43 after their eight extra points.
Berkshire need Oxfordshire to lose and Devon to draw or lose (16 points for a win, four for a draw).
Oxfordshire are hosting Cheshire at Banbury and need to win, or draw and hope Devon do not win.
Devon are hosting Herefordshire at Sidmouth and have to win, and hope Oxfordshire do not win.
It's finely poised:
Lunch, Suffolk are 330-7, with Josh Cantrell 95 n.o., and lead by 215.
In the Western Division, Oxon are chasing 301 to win and are 21-0.
Devon set Herefordshire 360 to win, they are 77-1.
Suffolk 366 all out off 119.2, lead of 251. Run rate required 5.5, likely heading for a draw.
Tea, Bucks have collapsed to 53-4, needing 199 from 34 overs (min) .
Bucks all out for 136, lost by 115 runs. Well done to 17 year debutant George Harvey, who was Bucks' best player. He should be in the side for his batting alone.
https://ncca.play-cricket.com/website/results/5617175
Devon won, Oxon lost so it's Devon in the final.
Fantastic end to the regular season! Devon pulled off a sensational victory over Herefordshire at sun-drenched Sidmouth to reach the final and leave Berkshire & Oxfordshire disappointed.
Bucks now face Devon at West Bromwich Dartmouth CC in a 4-day Championship Final on Sep 3rd to 6th. It would be great to have a really good turnout of Bucks supporters to encourage the team!
Why wasn't this final scheduled for the school holidays? I'm not sure if player availability will be affected - but an opportunity missed to introduce children to the long form of the game. And why not a county ground?
@Baldric, when they were six match divisions, the final was later in September. Since they became four matches, the final has been brought forward but still in term time, just. I think it is a question of fitting in the three competitions, T20, 50 Over and the Three Day Championship. I think I heard, or read, that the players would rather be playing the three day games during the school holidays. This year they started on 9th July, so still in term time, but they finished the divisional matches before the schools go back. They like to have at least two weeks between matches, so the final world not be this Sunday.
As for the venue, a good question. The first class Counties start playing the County Championship again, from the start of September. That could be a factor, as could the cost of staging for the NCCA.
For those thinking of going to the final on the Sunday 3 Sep, it's a straightforward route on Chiltern from High Wycombe, changing at Birmingham Moor Street for a West Midlands train on the short hop to The Hawthorns. It's then a 0.7 mile walk to West Bromwich Dartmouth CC.
However, the previous day there is RMT industrial action and an ASLEF overtime ban. Chiltern have published an amended timetable for Sunday, the first train from HW north is at 10:25, getting to The Hawthorns at 12:28. The trains back early evening are as normal. I think play starts at 11:00, yet to see confirmation.