By Charles Randall
16 August 2016
Even by today's standards of hitting, the Bramhall CC left-hander Iftikhar Naseer produced an incredible display of power when he hit 160 not out off 58 balls in the NatWest Club T20.
Bramhall, from the Cheshire Premier League, piled up 265-2 against Menai Bridge, the host North Wales club, in the West Midlands area semi-final, a total which not surprisingly was a competition record. Batting at number four, Naseer rattled up 18 sixes, his second fifty arriving in 12 balls, and those fireworks left Menai Bridge hopelessly placed.
Naseer and the Bramhall top order failed against Barnards Green in the area final before a recovery to 125-9 proved to be enough for a 53-run win. This time the Bramhall bowling turned up trumps, Simon Wilkinson claiming 4-10 off four overs.
Bramhall have a home game against Norden in their regional final on 21 August for a place in the Finals Day at the Derby County Ground on 6 September. The other matches on the same day are Radlett v West Indian Cavaliers, Frocester v Tunbridge Wells, Sandiacre Town v Richmondshire.
Joe Gatting hit 100 off 39 balls for Swardeston - including six sixes in an over for the second time this season - to set up an easy win over Old Northamptonians, but the East Anglia Premier side flopped against West Indian Cavaliers, captained by the former Nottinghamshire batsman Bilal Shafayat. Cavaliers, with the former West Indies seamer Corey Collymore in their bowling attack, won by eight wickets.
Cavaliers, highly fancied, travel to Hertfordshire to meet surprise packets Radlett, though Sandiacre Town would probably be the favourites for the overal title before their game against Richmondshire, having eliminated last year's finalists Pudsey Congs and then Sheffield Collegiate. The Collegiate total of 182-5 looked to be enough, owing much to Billy Root's 60 off 37 balls, but Sandiacre squeezed home by two wickets off the last ball, with Gareth Curtis still there on 91.
NatWest Club T20 national quarter-final (21 August)
Bramhall v Norden (2pm)
Even by today's standards of hitting, the Bramhall CC left-hander Iftikhar Naseer produced an incredible display of power when he hit 160 not out off 58 balls in the NatWest Club T20.
Bramhall, from the Cheshire Premier League, piled up 265-2 against Menai Bridge, the host North Wales club, in the West Midlands area semi-final, a total which not surprisingly was a competition record. Batting at number four, Naseer rattled up 18 sixes, his second fifty arriving in 12 balls, and those fireworks left Menai Bridge hopelessly placed.
Naseer and the Bramhall top order failed against Barnards Green in the area final before a recovery to 125-9 proved to be enough for a 53-run win. This time the Bramhall bowling turned up trumps, Simon Wilkinson claiming 4-10 off four overs.
Bramhall have a home game against Norden in their regional final on 21 August for a place in the Finals Day at the Derby County Ground on 6 September. The other matches on the same day are Radlett v West Indian Cavaliers, Frocester v Tunbridge Wells, Sandiacre Town v Richmondshire.
Joe Gatting hit 100 off 39 balls for Swardeston - including six sixes in an over for the second time this season - to set up an easy win over Old Northamptonians, but the East Anglia Premier side flopped against West Indian Cavaliers, captained by the former Nottinghamshire batsman Bilal Shafayat. Cavaliers, with the former West Indies seamer Corey Collymore in their bowling attack, won by eight wickets.
Cavaliers, highly fancied, travel to Hertfordshire to meet surprise packets Radlett, though Sandiacre Town would probably be the favourites for the overal title before their game against Richmondshire, having eliminated last year's finalists Pudsey Congs and then Sheffield Collegiate. The Collegiate total of 182-5 looked to be enough, owing much to Billy Root's 60 off 37 balls, but Sandiacre squeezed home by two wickets off the last ball, with Gareth Curtis still there on 91.
NatWest Club T20 national quarter-final (21 August)
Bramhall v Norden (2pm)
Frocester v Tunbridge Wells (2)
Radlett v West Indian Cavaliers (1)
Sandiacre Town v Richmondshire (1)
NatWest Club T20 National Finals: Tuesday 6 September (Derby County Ground)
NatWest Club T20 National Finals: Tuesday 6 September (Derby County Ground)