Staffs suffer agonising NCCA Trophy quarter-final defeat in Cumbria

Staffordshire exited the NCCA Trophy in agonising fashion after losing a low-scoring thriller in Cumbria.

Last man in Louis Backhouse was the hero, hitting the winning runs to earn the home a one-wicket victory in Carlisle just when Staffs had threatened to snatch it away.

Chasing just 139 to win, the hosts collapsed from 115-5 to 135-9 before Backhouse saw them over the line.

The seamer had earlier played a major role in restricting Staffs after they had lost the toss and were asked to bat.

After a strong start, which saw Sam Kelsall and Tom Moulton put on 73 for the opening partnership, wickets tumbled regularly with Backhouse finishing with figures of 4-24.

Staffs then looked back in control when Sam Keeling-Wright tore through the home side’s top order to leave them reeling on 32-5.

Cumbria skipper Michael Slack (43) and Max Winskill (42) steadied the ship and looked to be taking their team to a comfortable victory.

But when their 87-run partnership was broken with 24 still required, momentum swung again,

Slack was the eighth man dismissed with seven still required and when Ollie Walker had Nick Watt trapped leg before, the visiting team sensed victory.

Yet Backhouse held his nerve, hitting a boundary to send his team beyond the visiting side’s score and into the semi-finals.