Bedfordshire County Cricket Club are on the hunt for their first national title since 2004 as one of four clubs in the National Counties T20 Finals Day in High Wycombe on Sunday (30 August).
They will face Staffordshire in the first semi-final at 10am at Wormsley Cricket Ground, before Berkshire and Devon face off in the other semi-final from 1pm.
The grand final will take place from 4pm.
They have reached this stage thanks to a Super 12s day to remember at Sprowston Cricket Club, as Eddie Ballard’s side beat both Shropshire and hosts, Norfolk to secure their spot in the showpiece.
But it’s an achievement that hasn’t surprised Ballard, despite his team being a young one.
“We haven’t surprised ourselves, but I don’t think anyone else would have thought we would be where we are,” said Bedfordshire head coach, Ballard.
“We have played a really young side in the T20s this year and left out our experienced players to give some younger guys a go, and the lads have taken their opportunities and done well.
“We scraped through from a very tough group in third place and then it became knockout cricket. We put in some really good performances against Shropshire and [reigning champions] Norfolk with the bat and the ball in the Super 12s.
“Based on how we played in the Super 12s we deserve to be at Finals Day. We played the best cricket on that day by a country mile but I would think that most people would be surprised to see us there.”
Read: Dunk stars as Bedfordshire CCC reach National Counties T20 Finals Day
The season so far
Their rise to T20 Finals Day comes amidst a poor showing in the other two formats, in which Bedfordshire have not won a single game all season.
They finished bottom of the group in their 50-over NCCA Trophy campaign at the beginning of the summer, and have also picked up the wooden spoon in the three-day NCCA Championship following a dramatic draw against Hertfordshire.
Last weekend’s final red ball game at Flitwick Cricket Club finished tied, with both innings separated by a single run in favour of either side in a devilishly close encounter.
The last gasp drawn game was the only positive from a disappointing red ball campaign, in which heavy losses against Norfolk and Lincolnshire were only made worse by a loss in a rain-affected tie in Cumbria.
Despite that, Ballard is looking ahead to letting the youngsters impress on the T20 finals day stage.
“We are a well-rounded side”
“It’s been a fantastic effort from the players to get us to a Finals Day because we have been nowhere those occasions for a long time”, added Ballard.
“It’s very pleasing to be there and we are going to go there and enjoy the day and hopefully we can upset the apple cart a little bit.
“The way that we have played when we have played well, we can beat anyone on our day. We have had results which haven’t gone remotely our way and we haven’t played particularly good cricket but you get that a little bit with a young side.
“We are a well-rounded side, we have got a lot of options and hopefully it will be a good day and we cause a few more upsets.”
National Counties T20 Finals Day is taking place at Wormsley Cricket Ground in High Wycombe, with the gates opening at 9am on Sunday, 30 August ahead of Bedfordshire’s semi-final at 10am.
More information, including how you can purchase a ticket to the event, can be found here.
The Bedford Independent has committed as a ‘Business Plus’ partner for this season, with Bedfordshire County Cricket Club part of its ongoing commitment to local sport, both on and off the pitch.
Read: Bedford Independent extends commitment to local sport with County Cricket Club partnership
