The Cricketer rounds up everything you need to know about all nine games in the final round of the Bob Willis Trophy
Where: Liverpool
When: Sunday, September 6 – Wednesday, September 9
Lowdown: Lancashire have little tangible to play for in their final Bob Willis Trophy match of the campaign, but Derbyshire – league leaders in the northern section – know that a win will likely see them top their group. They begin the round five points ahead of Yorkshire, knowing that if they finish with more points than one of the other group-winners, they will contest the five-day final at Lord’s.
One to watch: Leus du Plooy has been Derbyshire’s standout batsman in the competition, with 262 runs at an average of 52.40. He will be eyeing up more against a predominantly inexperienced Lancashire bowling attack.
Team news: Matthew Parkinson could return from injury to make his first red-ball appearance for Lancashire, with Owais Shah, George Lavelle and Jack Morely, who are all yet to feature in First-Class cricket included in the squad. For Derbyshire, Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who will be assessed before the game, is the only concern to a seemingly unchanged side from previous red-ball outings.
Weather: A wet start, but otherwise shaping up for a pretty dry four days
Tickets: The match will be played behind closed doors
Prediction: Derbyshire
Where: Trent Bridge
When: Sunday, September 6 – Wednesday, September 9
Lowdown: Two sides still without a win in the competition, Durham’s batsmen – Alex Lees apart – have struggled for runs. Nottinghamshire’s, meanwhile, have scored runs – but rarely in the same innings. There is little other than pride riding on this one.
One to watch: Haseeb Hameed has been left to play red-ball cricket in this truncated campaign, with the former Lancashire batsman nowhere to be seen in the club’s T20 campaign. His Bob Willis Trophy haul of 251 runs at an average of 41.83 is an encouraging sign after his struggles in recent times. Having made three half-centuries in the competition, he would love to turn one of his starts into a three-figure score.
Team news: Farhaan Behardien, who is available after completing a 14-day quarantine period, could make his red-ball debut for Durham. Jake Ball has returned to the red-ball group
Weather: Showers through the first afternoon but otherwise an encouraging forecast
Tickets: The match will be played behind closed doors
Prediction: Nottinghamshire
Middlesex beat Sussex inside three days in their last game
Where: Headingley
When: Sunday, September 6 – Wednesday, September 9
Lowdown: Yorkshire can still catch Derbyshire with a victory. Five points behind – Derbyshire have picked up four more batting points and one additional bowling point, a complete display will be required, especially if Derbyshire beat Lancashire.
One to watch: Colin Ackermann has been Leicestershire’s form batsman in the Bob Willis Trophy thus far. He is yet to reach three figures but has passed fifty on four occasions. Leicestershire, given their red-ball form in 2019, will be satisfied with how they have fared this time around. Callum Parkinson has also impressed with his left-arm spin.
Team news: Yorkshire will be without Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root who are all with England, but seamers Ben Coad and Matthew Fisher return. Loanee Rishi Patel is back for Leicestershire, Hassan Azad, Sam Evans, Harry Swindells and Alex Evans.
Weather: Rain could interrupt spells on the first day, but conditions will improve thereafter
Tickets: The match will be played behind closed doors
Prediction: Yorkshire
Where: Sophia Gardens
When: Sunday, September 6 – Wednesday, September 9
Lowdown: Two sides still chasing their first wins of the season. Glamorgan have been beaten twice, while Warwickshire have found themselves entangled in three draws. Glamorgan, having enjoyed a very decent year of red-ball cricket in 2019, will want to avoid finishing bottom of the pile.
One to watch: Will Rhodes has taken to captaincy like a duck to water. The former Yorkshire allrounder might have wondered how his batting would stand up against the extra stress of leading Warwickshire, but he could scarcely have begun better. Only Jake Libby and Ben Slater have scored more runs in the tournament, though a large chunk of those came in a maiden first-class double hundred in a draw with Worcestershire.
Team news: Dom Sibley returns, with Ian Bell expected to feature in his final first-class match for Warwickshire. For Glamorgan, Owen Morgan will make his first red-ball appearance of the season.
Weather: There could be some showers on an overcast third day, but the forecast is optimistic for the majority of proceedings
Tickets: The match will be played behind closed doors
Prediction: Warwickshire
Where: Bristol
When: Sunday, September 6 – Wednesday, September 9
Lowdown: The last time these two sides met in red-ball cricket, they celebrated promotion together in the home dressing room as rain swept in nationwide, confirming their positions in the top three spots. Since then, they have fared almost identically; Northants hold a two-point lead over Chris Dent’s side, with both keen to avoid the wooden spoon. Since swapping whites for coloured kits, Northamptonshire have won four games on the bounce.
One to watch: Charlie Thurston came into this campaign without much weight behind his red-ball record. Four rounds into the Bob Willis Trophy, the 24-year-old – in the final year of his contract – sits on 357 runs at an average of 44.62, having made a century and two fifties – all of which contributed either to Northants’ solitary win or a defiant hand in clinching a draw with Warwickshire.
Team news:
Weather: A sunny start with a possibility of some showers as the game moves on, but predominantly positive
Prediction: Gloucestershire
Simon Kerrigan made his return to first-class cricket for Northamptonshire
Where: New Road
When: Sunday, September 6 – Wednesday, September 9
Lowdown: The big one: winner takes all. Somerset have been imperious, with their bowling attack predominantly to thank. They have won three of their four games – the one blemish caused by a combination of poor weather and a cagey declaration against Warwickshire. Worcestershire, on the other hand, have set the bar with their batting – a far cry from the struggles of 2019, when they reached 400 just once. Whoever wins will top the group, giving themselves a chance of a Lord’s appearance.
One to watch: Jake Libby is the second-highest run-scorer, Craig Overton is the second-highest wicket-taker. That just about sums up the story behind these teams’ success. Libby has added much-needed steel and experience to a young batting line-up at New Road, while Overton – having watched his brother depart for Surrey – has put forward a strong case for international recognition.
Team news: Somerset will be without Jamie Overton, who has joined Surrey on loan ahead of a permanent move at the end of the summer.
Weather: Fingers crossed, dry throughout – and a chance for a result…
Prediction: Somerset
Where: Kia Oval
When: Sunday, September 6 – Wednesday, September 9
Lowdown: Surrey won their first cricket match of 2020 on Thursday night, beating Hampshire in the T20 Blast. Alec Stewart’s side have been somewhat decimated by injury, unavailability and international call-ups in the Bob Willis Trophy, but they now have Hashim Amla, Rory Burns and Ben Foakes back in the fold to boost their ailing resources, not to mention the signing of Jamie Overton, who has agreed permanent a deal. Sussex have fielded youthful sides thus far, with Jack Carson, Henry Crocombe and Tom Clark among those who have been handed value red-ball experience this year. They are joined by the excellent Ollie Robinson.
One to watch: Jamie Smith has been a bright spark of sorts for Surrey, who have only picked up four batting points. With just 14 points overall and four losses from four games, a positive performance is needed for Vikram Solanki, who replaced Michael di Venuto as head coach earlier this summer. Smith, like Will Jacks and Ollie Pope before him, looks a fine prospect and a classy middle order batsman.
Team news: Hashim Amla returns with Jamie Overton, who signed on loan prior to a permanent move from Somerset earlier this week, expected to make his red-ball debut for Surrey, this weekend. David Wiese is back for Sussex, while 16-year-old James Coles could make his debut. Mitch Claydon is suspended pending an ECB investigation into allegations he used sanitizer on the ball.
Weather: Not a huge amount of sunshine, but it’s looking dry enough
Prediction: Sussex
Ollie Robinson will be in action for Sussex against Surrey
Where: Chelmsford
When: Sunday, September 6 – Wednesday, September 9
Lowdown: Essex will top the South Group with a win over Middlesex, who themselves can still catch the reigning County Championship title-holders if results go their way. For that to happen, they will have to overcome Simon Harmer and co. on home soil, where they have not lost for some time in red-ball cricket. If there is a good omen for Middlesex, it is that Stuart Law’s men beat Essex on Thursday in the T20 Blast.
One to watch: Harmer is a phenomenon, quite simply. He took his third 14-wicket haul for the club in their win over Surrey, a match that accounts for half of his 28 wickets in the Bob Willis Trophy. No one else has is within five of him; the next-best spinner – Amar Virdi – is 13 wickets behind.
Team news: Toby-Roland Jones is sidelined with a season-ending shoulder injury as Tom Helm and Blake Cullen are rested, while Tim Murtagh returns. Rishi Patel and Jack Plom will not feature will after joining Leicestershire and Surrey.
Weather: Dry and cloudy for the most part
Prediction: Essex
Where: Canterbury
When: Sunday, September 6 – Wednesday, September 9
Lowdown: If Essex fail to beat Middlesex, a Kent victory would see them overhaul Tom Westley’s men to the top of the South Group. To qualify for the final, however, will be more complicated. Kent go into the last round of group fixtures 13 points behind Somerset and eight behind Derbyshire, meaning they will have to go some to finish among the top two group-winners. Hampshire can mathematically catch Essex, but it would take a 16-point swing and other results to go their way.
One to watch: It has been lovely to see Mason Crane back in the wickets in red-ball cricket. Having endured a difficult time with injuries, he has stayed fit through the first month of this shortened campaign, taking 12 wickets at 11.91 apiece in the Bob Willis Trophy thus far. The duel between him and young Kent batsman Jordan Cox will be intriguing. The 19-year-old made an unbeaten 238 against Sussex earlier in the competition.
Team news: Zak Crawley will play his first red-ball of the season after a formidable summer with England that included a memorable 267 against Pakistan. Hampshire have named an experimental and young squad including 18-year old Fletcha Middleton.
Weather: A sunny start, with clouds coming into play more on the third and fourth days
Prediction: Kent
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