First-Class Counties Second Eleven Annual 2020

16 REVIEW OF THE SEASON For the first time in three years, the play-off was completed without interruption from the weather. Hampshire beat Leicestershire by 143 runs in the Final, played at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. It was the sixth time that Hampshire have been crowned second eleven champions and the first time since 2001. Hampshire won the toss and elected to bat first. An unbeaten innings of 132 by Fletcha Middleton was the foundation of the home side’s first innings of 343, although 54 by Scott Currie gave valuable support. Huw Evans returned 5/65 from 24 overs for the visitors. Leicestershire replied with 187, conceding a first innings deficit of 156 and only Lewis Hill (69) offered any substantial resistance. James Fuller (4/29) and Keith Barker (4/57) were chiefly responsible for securing the first innings lead. The follow-on was not enforced as Hampshire extended their lead by 278, with Keith Barker showing his all-round pedigree with 60. Alex Lilley, formerly of Lancashire, returned 4/58 with his off-spin and slow left-armer Callum Parkinson, chipped in with 3/66. So Leicestershire required a fourth-innings total of 435 to win. They were dismissed for 291, with Ateeq Javid leading the way with 86 and Ryan Stevenson (5/65) leading the Hampshire attack. The Second Eleven Trophy was won by Kent after two semi-finals and a final saw 1,479 runs scored over the three matches. The first semi-final at Taunton Vale saw Somerset against Durham. Somerset batted first and finished on 295 from the last ball of the final over. Tom Lammonby (85), Ben Wells (52) and England U19 player Lewis Goldsworthy were the principle scorers. Josh Coughlin returned 4/63 and Nathan Rimmington 3/43. Durham got home by three wickets with 15 deliveries remaining. Scott Steel registered an unbeaten 87 with good support from Solomon Bell (49). In the second match at Scarborough, Yorkshire totaled 294 with Will Fraine making 121. William MacVicar took 3/62 for the visitors. When Kent were then reduced to 62/2 in reply, the hosts must have felt a quiet satisfaction but a superb third-wicket stand of 217 by Alex Blake (139) and Jordan Cox (97) turned the match on its head. Blake’s innings came from just 83 deliveries with 12 boundaries and eight sixes. He batted just 109 minutes. Yorkshire removed both players before the close but the damage had been done and Kent ran out winners by six wickets with 47 deliveries remaining. The final at Beckenham saw Kent win the trophy by 16 runs to add a third victory to their previous successes of 1999 and 2002. Kent lost the toss and were invited to bat by their visitors from the north-east. Alex Blake repeated his feat of the semi-final by scoring 110 (103 deliveries with 14 boundaries and two sixes). George Harding (3/39) was the leading Durham bowler. Kent had 13 deliveries remaining when their innings finished. Durham were dismissed for 260 in 49.3 overs, opener Michael Jones making 60, and Marcus O’Riordan (4/60), Ari Karvelas (3/49) and Fred Klaasen (3/60) doing the damage.