Cheshire skipper Harry Dearden ready for NCCA Knockout Trophy shootout

Harry Dearden has an added incentive to make sure that Cheshire progress in the NCCA Knockout Trophy this weekend.

Cheshire face a winner-takes-all Group Three clash against Shropshire at Toft with both sides gunning to join Suffolk in qualifying for the quarter-finals.

So there is plenty riding on Sunday’s 50-over encounter – and just as much for Dearden himself.

The former Leicestershire batsman doesn’t feature for Cheshire in the Championship format, so this could be his final Cheshire appearance of the season if the result doesn’t go their way.

And that would feel like his National Counties Cricket Association campaign has finished before it has really started.

The inclement weather decimated Cheshire’s Twenty20 Cup programme, with them only truly getting out of the blocks when the Knockout Trophy commenced.

“The first fixture we played I was missing because I was away,” said Cheshire skipper Dearden.

“We were then affected by the weather and we played the one match against Staffordshire, lost and were knocked out.

“That meant the final two matches up at Cumbria were something of a free hit. Last year we got through to T20 finals day, so it was disappointing that we couldn’t really get started this year.

“We have a lot of good players to pick from for Cheshire, so it was frustrating that we couldn’t get out on the pitch consistently.

“But at Cumbria it was a chance to get some overs into the legs of the bowlers and let the batters have some time out in the middle.”

Cheshire won both of those games against Cumbria and have largely taken that form into the 50-over programme.

They started out with a Bank Holiday double header in East Anglia, being defeated by Norfolk on the Sunday before winning at Suffolk the following day.

Cheshire then chased down 301 to beat Cambridgeshire at Didsbury to leave them in with a good chance of advancing to the next stage.

“It was difficult opening up with the back-to-back games,” added Dearden. “I got to the hotel in Norwich at 1am and it’s tough to then ask the lads to go out and perform.

“We should have chased down 230 to beat Norfolk, but it was good that we bounced back the next day with some tired bodies about.

“We then beat Cambridgeshire pretty convincingly, so it’s been a good tournament for us.

“Hopefully we can take that into Sunday against Shropshire.”

Dearden finds himself in the slightly surprising position of being county captain.

Didsbury all-rounder Nick Anderson was named as white-ball skipper, and led Cheshire in the Twenty20 matches.

However, he was unavailable for the Norfolk Trophy test and Dearden deputised before carrying on as leader.

“I was a little bit surprised to be asked,” explained Dearden. “I always helped Nick on the field when I could.

“When I was asked, it was something I couldn’t say no to. I didn’t have any reservations about taking it.

“I’ve tried to keep things going how Nick had them and not tried to change too much.

“Nick has been really good and he’s a fantastic cricketer to have in the side.

“It’s nice to have him in there and we still speak to each other regularly.”

Dearden, who played 45 first-class games for Leicestershire in his pro career before being released, says Cheshire are well set to finish off their qualification mission.

Cheshire could, in fact, still top the group to land a home quarter-final tie, but Dearden is just intent on making sure they clinch one of the top-two places.

“We have got a good core of lads and have also introduced some new faces into the side,” said the 26-year-old.

“There’s the core of myself, Nick, Alex Money and Luke Young and we’ve integrated in the likes of Pat Ashling and Ben Kohler-Cadmore.

“We are in a very good place as a team. The lads who are playing have been doing well for their clubs in the league.

“Hopefully we can take that into Sunday and pick up the victory we need. That is also we are focused on, making sure we win the match.”

Visitors Shropshire lost to Suffolk in their first match, but have since beaten Norfolk and Cambridgeshire to keep their hopes alive of advancing to the last eight.

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