It's a Roses clash in NatWest Trophy (8 July 1999)

8 July 1999

It's a Roses clash in NatWest Trophy

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Lancashire will play Yorkshire in the NatWest Trophy quarter finals at Old Trafford on July 28.

That was the almost predictable result of this morning's draw at Lord's, with the old Roses rivals paired together for the umpteenth time in recent Cup competitions.

But Mike Smethurst, Lancashire's unlikely hero in their thrilling fourth round victory over Hampshire at Southampton yesterday, knows he will have to sweat on selection.

The 22-year-old Edenfield professional, making only his sixth first team appearance since joining the Old Trafford staff last winter, took 4- 46 then hit the winning runs as Lancashire scraped home by one wicket with three balls to spare.

"It was a day I will never forget," he grinned after being named man of the match on his NatWest debut.

But as he admitted: "I wouldn't have been in the side but for Glen Chapple being injured. I've got a long way to go before I establish myself in the squad."

Smethurst's wickets were crucial as Lancashire fought back superbly after Jason Laney and Derek Kenway had given Hampshire a flying start with an opening stand of 114.

Muttiah Muralitharan had a rare wicketless day and conceded 48 runs in his 10 overs, but Lancashire's seamers managed to restrict Hampshire to 239-8. Then it was nip and tuck all the way in the Lancashire reply. Mike Watkinson and John Crawley went cheaply to leave them 40-2, but Mark Chilton made a patient 21 then Andy Flintoff joined Neil Fairbrother to blast 44 from 45 balls with three more sixes. Graham Lloyd chipped in with a handy 42, but when Peter Martin came in to join Ian Austin, Lancashire still needed 65 from 11 overs with only three wickets left.

Austin went cheaply, but Martin was joined by Muralitharan to steer Lancashire to the brink of victory before Smethurst steered Hampshire's West Indian paceman Nixon McLean through the slips for four to keep the holders in the Trophy.

But Smethurst added: "I'm not sure I should have been man of the match. Lots of others made contributions and it might have gone to Peter Martin who batted superbly. We were in real trouble and Digger held us together."

Martin's unbeaten 31 was also a NatWest best, bringing back memories of his match-winning effort with the bat in one of those past Roses showdowns, a Benson and Hedges Cup semi-final in 1995. Now Lancashire will look for a repeat. Yorkshire booked their quarter final spot with an impressive four-wicket victory over Leicestershire at Headingley. They are on course for a one-day treble, riding high at the top of the CGU National League and facing a Benson and Hedges Super Cup semi-final against Warwickshire this weekend.

But now Lancashire stand between David Byas's team and glory on two of those fronts, with the Roses rivals clashing in two floodlit National League games in August as well as the NatWest quarter-final.

Lancashire's second team suffered a disappointing four wicket defeat by Yorkshire in their latest AON Trophy qualifying match at Old Trafford yesterday, despite three more wickets for Chris Schofield. Lancashire now need to win their remaining two games, against Notts at Worksop today and Durham next week, to reach the semi-finals.

Source :: The Lancashire Evening Telegraph