COUNTIES CRICKET Benefit of Showcase matches
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- Created on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 21:00
- Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 21:00
- Published on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 21:00
- Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent
The value of the fixture should not be gauged in runs scored and wickets taken alone.
Worcestershire are one of four first-class counties – Derbyshire, Somerset and Sussex are the others – to play two Showcase matches against National Counties opponents this season.
Another wide margin victory over Shropshire two weeks ago also providing Worcestershire useful practise ahead of Friday’s Metro Bank opener against Derbyshire.
The Showcase games also help Worcestershire to maintain and strengthen their close links with two of their neighbouring National Counties who play an important role in helping the development of their players.
A steady supply of talented youngsters from Shropshire have joined Worcestershire including current squad members Jack Home and Harry Darley and preceded by Ed Barnard, Joe Leach, Joe Clarke and Dylan Pennington.
Herefordshire have also given players from Worcestershire’s academy early exposure to adult county cricket with Henry Cullen and Rehaan Edavalath – who played for the first-class county at Eastnor – and Jack Haynes among those to benefit from the experience.
Worcestershire’s coaching team also has strong National Counties links. Head Coach Alan Richardson spent three seasons with Staffordshire after he was released by Derbyshire before he was given a second chance in first-class cricket with Warwickshire. Batting coach Kadeer Ali is a former Staffordshire captain and Alexei Kervezee, who was appointed Worcestershire’s Second XI Coach earlier this year, led Buckinghamshire to the NCCA Cluberly Championship title last season.
“The experience we have had at Eastnor with the amount of people that have come here is good for Herefordshire and good for the Eastnor club itself. That’s really important to us,” Richardson said.
“It’s also up to the county and National County to ensure that it’s a worthwhile fixture in terms of quality. That’s not easy and we appreciate that Herefordshire and Shropshire players are amateurs and have work and other commitments in life.
“We also have to make sure that we can put out a good enough side to make sure it’s a good fixture as well.
“In terms of what we have experienced, for the majority of the time if not always, they have been very worthwhile fixtures.
“I’m keen on playing Shropshire and Herefordshire who are two counties we have really strong links with.
“Shropshire we have benefited from hugely with Joe Clarke, Ed Barnard, Joe Leach and Dylan Pennington and now Jack Home and Harry Darley.
“Herefordshire we have a slightly different relationship with but we had lots of young players either from our academy players or recently-contracted players come and play National Counties cricket. People like Henry Cullen have played a lot of cricket for Herefordshire.
“For us that relationship is really important and we want to keep that going.
“When we played Shropshire Tom Fell captained them and it was really good to see him. Cameron Jones, who played a One Day Cup game for us and was a big part of our academy, and Joe Stanley, who was also in our academy, also played for Shropshire so we were reconnecting with them.
“Likewise here at Herefordshire. These matches feel relevant to us.”
A large crowd, basking in the sun at an idyllic crowd made for a perfect cricketing day at Eastnor with Worcestershire fielding a side that included eight players with National Counties experience and five who featured in last year’s Metro Bank Cup final.
One of the cup-winning team, Dan Lategan, led Worcestershire to 390 for seven against a Herefordshire attack missing four seamers through work commitments or injury.
Jake Libby, who played for his home county Cornwall earlier in his career, made 81 and Cullen, who has played for Herefordshire this season, a breezy 52 from 27 balls.
Herefordshire’s response was led by acting-captain Luke Powell with 72 from 92 balls which, with useful runs from the lower order, took them to a respectable 244 all out.
Showcase Matches
Sunday July 19
Sudbrook: Gloucestershire 367-6 (James Bracey 100, Tom Boorman 90 not out, Kamran Dhariwal 63, Ollie Rayner 3-40), Wales NC 147 (Daaryoush Ahmed 4-19). Gloucestershire won by 220 runs.
Tuesday July 21
Eastnor: Worcestershire 390-7 (Dan Lategan 148, Jake Libby 81, Henry Cullen 52), Herefordshire 244 (Luke Powell 72). Worcestershire won by 146 runs.
Wednesday July 22 (11am)
Sprowston: Norfolk v Kent.
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