CORNWALL'S NCCA Trophy hopes of qualification for this weekend’s quarter-finals were ended at North Mymms on Sunday with a defeat to Hertfordshire by 118 runs, writes Michael Weeks.

Hertfordshire won all four games to top the group. Berkshire beat Bedfordshire by five wickets with 27 overs to spare. 

As a result, the Net Run Rate swung in favour of Berkshire decisively increasing to 0.78 while Cornwall’s dropped to minus 0.44. 

Not much went right for Cornwall with late withdrawals on the eve of the match seeing 12th man Callum Donnelly (St Just & Paul), who now lives in London, promoted to make a full county debut. Charlie Kent made a 4 am departure from Truro to complete the line-up. 

With temperatures reaching the thirties Hertfordshire recovered well from 115-5 to make 271. Ellis Whiteford took 3-64. 

Max Tryfonos (2-18) suffered a side strain and retired in his eighth over. 

He was unable to open the batting and within five overs Cornwall had lost Dan Jenkin, Kent, Alex Bone and Will MacVicar (22) with 28 on the board. 

Paul Smith made 22 and Tommy Sturgess hit four sixes in his 75 before being last out. Donnelly (19) added 67 for the seventh wicket but after his dismissal, the end came within four overs. Essex quick bowler Jack Plom did the early damage and ended with 5-33.