HEREFORDSHIRE remain on course for a place in the NCCA T20 Super-12s

1 Jul 2025   |   By Richard Prime

HEREFORDSHIRE remain on course for a place in the NCCA T20 Super-12s after again sharing the honours with visiting Devon in their latest group clash at Eastnor.

As in their previous double-headers with Wiltshire and Dorset, Herefordshire won one and lost one of their two matches.

And the results leave them in third place in the five-team group. One win in their double-header against group-leaders Cornwall at St Austell would be enough to ensure qualification, barring an unusual net-run-rate scenario, but Herefordshire could still lose both matches and qualify should Wiltshire befall the same fate against Dorset.

In the first match, Herefordshire made early inroads after winning the toss and electing to field with Devon quickly subsiding to 48-5.

Although Adam Small (40) led a partial revival, Herefordshire’s bowlers were always in control with James Rudge (2-10), skipper Ollie Walker (2-18), Cyrus Shafi (1-29) and Ben Clarke (1-40) sharing the wickets as the visitors closed on 126-7.

Herefordshire’s reply begin in stuttering fashion despite 13 from Seth Essenhigh and it was not until Luke Powell steadied affairs with an impressive 41 that the home side were able to regain control.

Shafi impressed on his debut with a composed 18 but Herefordshire faltered again at 94-5 until Luke Tulacz, who hammered two sixes and two fours in an unbeaten 18-ball 30, steered them home.

It was a rather different story in the second match when Devon were in control from the start.

Rhys Davies (70) and Lawrence Walker (56 not out) both batted well to lead Devon to an imposing 172-3, although Indiana Jerram (1-8), Rudge (1-28) and Ben Clements (1-35) picked up wickets.

Sinel Gunarathne (12), Essenhigh (12), Walker (23), Powell (10) and Shafi (13) all got starts in Herefordshire’s reply but failed to go on.

The best batting came from Tulacz whose impressive 45, from 29 balls with five fours and a six, ended with a boundary catch in the final over with Herefordshire 35 short of victory.

Herefordshire conclude their group matches against Cornwall at St Austell on Sunday.

CAPTION: Luke Tulacz twice batted well against Devon.