First-Class Counties Second Eleven Annual 2012

8 having fallen for just 57 runs. They lost the game by four wickets. If you want to examine the game more closely, please go to http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/ Scorecards/330/330619.html Finally in this review of the One-Day Trophy, two games ended in ties. These were Somerset v Surrey at Taunton Vale and Gloucestershire v Somerset at Bristol. Two other games did not end at all as the pitches were declared unfit. These were Yorkshire v Derbyshire at Marske and Derbyshire v Northamptonshire at Highfield, Leek. This year, the players again had a third competition to contest. The Second Eleven split-innings Knock-Out Competition, introduced in 2010, was consigned to the dustbin and was probably not much missed. It was replaced by a T20 Competition, earlier referred to. Sussex again showed how to be third competition experts as they promptly won it, with Ben Brown contributing 379 runs to the cause, easily the leading run scorer in the matches. Paul Muchall (MCC Young Cricketers and Durham) and Nick James (Glamorgan) each took 15 wickets. Worcestershire made the season`s highest score, 222 for five, against Warwickshire at Ombersley, and Somerset were dismissed for just 59 by near- neighbours Gloucestershire at Bristol. Two centuries only were made and both by Hampshire players, with Tim Ravenscroft and Jimmy Adams succeeding. Strangely, both were at Purley against Surrey but not in the same game. The T20 day was split to before and after lunch and two separate games were arranged for each fixture. Ravenscroft reached three figures before lunch, which obviously suited Mr Adams, as he promptly went back to the middle and emulated his younger colleague. Lee Hodgson of Yorkshire recorded the best competition figures of 4-13 against Derbyshire at Headingley. It did not do his team much good as they lost. It did not do him much good either, unfortunately, as he was released at the end of the season. T20 cricket is essentially about hitting the ball as far and as often as possible and Gloucestershire’s former New Zealand Test player, Hamish Marshall, added 50 for the second wicket against Somerset at Bristol from just seventeen balls. Marshall’s partner was Chris Dent. He faced just two deliveries and failed to contribute to the partnership. This format saw Gloucestershire reach the Semi-Finals, some success in an otherwise moderate season. The Second Eleven competition mirrored its senior counterpart by holding both Semi-Finals and the Final on one day. This event was staged at Fenner’s, where Durham reached the Final against Sussex, having defeated Leicestershire. Gloucestershire went out to eventual champions Sussex. And so another season has been consigned to the “dustbin of history” Or should that be the Archive ?? Whatever the case, I look forward to March 2012 and yet another early start.