Friends Provident Trophy previews

Profiles / Editor / 04 May 2007 / Leave a Comment

Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire - Sunday 10:45am (Live on Sky Sports 3)

The Friends Provident Trophy is in its early stages but the tournament's format means no team can afford too many early defeats. The 20 sides - Scotland and Ireland join the Counties for this competition - are split into two regional conferences, with the top pair from each pool progressing to the semi finals.

Qualification was much more difficult last year - there was no semi final stage - and this tournament has changed greatly from when it began as the Gillette Cup in 1963. It was a simple knockout competition in those days and Worcestershire will hope to go one better than their runner-up performance in that year's final.

They got off to the perfect start in the competition when beating Lancashire by 122 runs, but then lost to Leicestershire last Sunday. The Pears trade at 21 to win this trophy for the second time, having won it under its Natwest Trophy guise in 1994.

Nottinghamshire have also won one and lost one so far, losing at in-form Yorkshire but overpowering Northamptonshire last time out, also by a handsome 122 run margin. Notts are available at 13 to add to their sole success, achieved in 1987.

These two sides came third and fourth in last year's Northern Conference, finishing with 11 points. That pool was won by Lancashire and although they went on to lose to Sussex in the final, Worcester's convincing win over the Red Rose County will give them hope of going one better than last year by gaining a top two finish.

Notts appear to be in the better form of the two and certainly have some batsmen in good nick. New signing Mark Wagh has hit 66 and 56 from his two knocks so far in this tournament, whilst Bilal Shafayat and Chris Read have also passed 100 runs.

Only Stephen Moore has passed 50 for Worcester so far, with star Aussie batsman Phil Jaques managing just 39 runs to date. Their other overseas player, Doug Bollinger, has impressed by taking five wickets at 15 with his left arm swing. The Outlaws look like depending on the steady medium pace of Mark Ealham - the former England all-rounder leads their wicket-taking charts, as he did in this tournament last season.

Much has been made of the county system failing to replicate the format used on the international stage and this tournament continues to ignore the use of Powerplays. One notable change has been the introduction of a referral system on a trial basis, whereby each team can ask for two decisions per innings to be overruled by a third umpire. This is only applicable in televised matches, so skippers David Hussey and Vikram Solanki must remember to ask for second chances in this clash.

Elsewhere in the Northern Conference, Lancashire host Northamptonshire in a bottom of the table clash. Last year's runners-up are in serious danger of having their interest in the tournament ended early. They followed that defeat against Worcester with another home defeat, to Warwickshire last Sunday.

Mark Chilton's men only lost one group game last term and need to turn things round quickly if they are to improve on last season's effort. They have won this trophy six times, but not since 1998. They trade at 17 to go all the way.

Northants have also lost both of their Friends Provident encounters this season - they preceded their reverse against Notts with a devastating loss at Warwickshire. The Bears chased down Northants' imposing target of 298 with a ball to spare and skipper David Sales will hope his bowlers can provide the support his batting deserves - he is the second top runscorer in the tournament with 172 runs. The Steelbacks are available at 20 to lift this prize for the third time.

The only other teams in the Northern Conference with a negative net run rate meet at Grace Road. Leicestershire are Twenty 20 specialists, having won two of the last three tournaments and will want to extend that form into the main One Day competition, which they have never won.

The Foxes won four and lost four of their group games last year and will hope to kick-start their campaign against Scotland. The Scots had a chastening World Cup experience but won three of their matches last season. They lost to Yorkshire in their opener and are amongst the tournament's outsiders, trading at 50 in the winner's market. Leicestershire are available at 42.

The Southern Conference sees a clash between two of the well-fancied outfits. Essex, Sunday League winners for the last two seasons, take on Kent at Chelmsford. The Spitfires lost narrowly to a run-hungry Surrey in their opener, but avoided an Irish banana skin in Belfast. They trade at 14 to go the distance.

Essex were competitive on all fronts last season, coming third in the Southern Division of this competition, reaching the semi finals of the Twenty 20 Cup and missing out on promotion to the first division of the Championship on the last day of the season. The shorter format remains their strength and they trade at 7 in the winner's market, having bowled Hampshire out for just 75 in a convincing opening win.

Gloucestershire are bottom of the division after taking a record-breaking hammering from Surrey at the Oval last week. They conceded 496 from their 50 overs and will hope a trip north of the river to Lord's will find Middlesex in less destructive form.

The Crusaders lost at Hampshire but beat Glamorgan last time out and are one of four teams to have won one and lost one so far. They trade at a tasty 34 in the winner's market - they finished one point adrift of winners Sussex in last year's Southern Conference. Gloucestershire, winners in 2003 and 2004, are available at 50.

Sunday's final match is between Somerset and Ireland at run-soaked Taunton. It has already seen scores of 600, 850 and 801 in the championship this season and Ireland's World Cup heroes are sure to have their mettle tested by the home team's big hitters, such as Marcus Trescothick, Cameron White and Ian Blackwell. Somerset are currently on offer at 15, with Ireland trading at 44 to lift the trophy.