Notts Stage Stunning Recovery at Clifton Park
You can never count Nottinghamshire out, and they proved that emphatically at Clifton Park on Thursday. Chasing Yorkshire's competitive 273-9, Notts were in serious trouble at 1-3 — two of those wickets falling to Ben Coad in successive deliveries — before the visitors somehow found a way back into the contest. As a former coach, I've seen plenty of dressing rooms buckle under that kind of early pressure, but this Notts side refused to fold.
With the score on 55-4, Jack Haynes and South Africa's Kyle Verreynne came together and proceeded to put on one of the most composed partnership displays you're likely to see in List A cricket this season. The pair shared 154 runs, both going on to register centuries — Haynes finishing unbeaten on 116 and Verreynne contributing 105 — as Notts chased down the target with three wickets in hand and eight balls to spare. It was a genuine match-winning stand, clinical under pressure.
East Midlands Derby Awaits in the Semi-Finals
Notts' reward for that impressive win is a semi-final clash against Leicestershire — Group A winners and defending champions from 2024 — making it a tasty East Midlands derby on Sunday. Notts have yet to reach the final since the competition relocated its showpiece to Trent Bridge in 2021, so there is an added edge of motivation there. Leicestershire will head into the tie as slight favourites given their group-stage form, and this result will certainly see the outright odds tighten considerably for both sides. It's a fixture with real local pride on the line, and I expect a packed and lively atmosphere.
Durham Blow Lancashire Away at Old Trafford
Meanwhile, Durham delivered an equally convincing performance up in Manchester, putting on a commanding 349-8 from their 50 overs against Lancashire. It was not a flawless start — at the midway point Durham were sitting at 110-3 — but David Bedingham then shifted through the gears in spectacular fashion. The South African, appearing in just his third match in this year's competition, raced to a hundred off only 87 balls and finished on 104, sharing a pivotal 149-run stand in just 16 overs with Ollie Robinson, who chipped in with 76. Even after that partnership was broken at 259-4, Durham's lower order continued to pile on the runs, adding a further 90 before the close. Ben Stokes provided a brief cameo, launching his second ball for six before being caught at long off for 11.
Lancashire's reply never truly got going. Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon showed brief promise before both departed, and Marcus Harris then suffered the indignity of treading on his own stumps to be given out hit wicket. Rocky Flintoff managed 22 before departing, and leg-spinner Shaq Ghafari proved the pick of Durham's bowlers with four wickets as Lancashire were dismissed for 187 — a defeat by 162 runs that ranks among the five heaviest in the county's 63-year one-day history.
Middlesex Await at Radlett in the Other Semi
Durham's seventh successful passage to a List A semi-final sets up a meeting with Middlesex, who topped Group B with considerable ease, winning seven of their eight group fixtures and qualifying automatically. The match will take place at Radlett, with Lord's unavailable on the day. Middlesex must be considered favourites given their dominant group campaign, but Durham's batting firepower — as demonstrated at Old Trafford — makes them a dangerous proposition for any side.
With four strong counties left in the competition, Sunday promises to be a cracking day of one-day cricket. Notts' comeback story will have given the neutrals plenty to cheer, while Durham's clinical display suggests they have the tools to go all the way. The One-Day Cup final at Trent Bridge is beginning to take shape.
