WHITE-ball captain James Horler is oozing confidence going into Devon’s NCA Trophy quarter-final decider against Cornwall at Cornwood tomorrow (11am).
Devon will qualify from Group Three if they defeat Cornwall, irrespective of whatever happens in the other game between trophy holders and pool leaders Berkshire and winless Buckinghamshire. Berkshire cannot finish outside the top two, although they could be bumped down to second place if they lose.
It gets complicated if Devon lose as net run-rate will come into play to determine who finishes second. If Devon carry on playing the way they have been, Horler is confident net run-rate won’t be needed.
“We've put in some great performances over last three games, put some big totals up and bowled well,” said Horler.
“We will be going in with the same squad, looking to replicate everything we have been doing.
“I've got a lot of confidence in the side. We're going strongly as a group and the last few weeks has made us realise we can really put a marker down in the Trophy, in the same way we did in the Championship last season.
“Little to say about Cornwall: we've played them plenty of times and, regardless of the opposition, we want a quarter-final spot.”
Devon have named the same 11 players that defeated Buckinghamshire by 92 runs in round three plus Cornwood all-rounder and three-day regular Matt Skeemer, who has not featured in white-ball cricket yet this season.
If Cornwall win they will become one of three teams deadlocked on four points. Devon and Oxfordshire, who have completed their programme, are the other two.
Net run rate over all four pool games is the deciding factor when teams are level on points – and Devon (+1.57) have a clear advantage over Oxfordshire (-0.97) and Cornwall (0.53).
It is hard to imagine any scenario in which Oxfordshire could qualify, but if Cornwall won in a hurry against Devon they could snatch second place.
The significance of finishing top is obtaining home advantage in the last eight, which avoids the possibility of a long trip north after a round of Saturday group games. Second spot means travelling.
Devon’s team management still has bad dreams about getting to Barrow in Cumbria in similar circumstances back in 2016. Two out of Cheshire, Wiltshire and Hertfordshire will qualify from Group Four, only one of which is within a couple of hours driving time.
Devon have stuck with the same XI that beat Buckinghamshire at High Wycombe, plus Cornwood all-rounder Matt Skeemer. Will Christophers (hamstring) and Ben Beaumont (shoulder) remain on the injury list.
Cornwall have yet to finalise their side as filling-in for missing opener Toby Whiteford is proving a problem. Match professional Alex Blake, the former Kent batsman remains unavailable and Graham Wagg’s availability is not known.
Wagg, the former Warwickshire all-rounder, filled in for Cornwall against Berkshire in an earlier round.
Devon (from): J D Horler, M W Thompson, C M Sharland, C J Haggett, E H Hamilton, L S Walker, S O Read, B H Privett, M P Skeemer, M B Shepherd, J A Stephens, K B Szymanski.
Cornwall: B M Taylor, K N Leathley, W A McVicar, M M Tryfonos, P S Smith, A W Bone, A J Hodgson, W J J Rowe, B A Ellis, E A F Whitford, A N Other.
