The ECB Indoor National Club Championship has reached the last 16 stage as the remaining teams do battle over four regional finals around the country today.
Canterbury, Derby, Edgbaston and Taunton all play host as teams take part in two semi-finals and a final to determine which four sides will book their place in the National Finals at Lord’s on Sunday 13 March.
Cherry Willingham CC are the sole survivors from the 2015 National Finals and the Lincolnshire champions will hope for a return journey to Lord’s in March but first have to overcome a potential three matches in one day at the North Regional Final.
They will play Derbyshire winners Spondon CC in their delayed County Playoff match before the winner of that fixture goes on to face Shropshire’s Grasshoppers CC in the second semi-final at Derbyshire CCC.
The first semi-final sees South Shields CC from Durham take on Yorkshire side Whitley Hall CC.
The 2015 champions Sarisbury Athletic CC were knocked out at the county stage so the Hampshire representatives are Havant CC, who won this competition in 2008.
Havant travel to the Spitfire Ground in Canterbury, home of Kent CCC, for the London and East Regional Final, where they will face Belhus CC from Essex in their semi-final. The first match sees two competition newcomers as Canterbury Christ Church University CC, winners of the Kent competition, play AZ Woking CC from Surrey.
A second university side features in the last 16 as Exeter University CC travel to the South and West Regional Final at Somerset CCC in Taunton.
They defeated 2014 national runners-up Bridgwater in the previous round and will go into their debut at this stage of the competition full of confidence where they will face Newport CC from the Isle of Wight.
Cornwall champions St Austell CC and Burbage & Easton Royal CC from Wiltshire are the second semi-final pairing at Taunton.
Edgbaston plays host to the Midlands Regional Final where the semi-final line-up sees Welsh winners Haverfordwest CC play Cutnall Green CC from Worcestershire and Huntingdonshire’s Ramsey CC take on Elstow CC from Bedfordshire. None of the four have made the National Finals before so it is all to play for.
Entry to watch all four regional finals is free so please go along and support your team.
Regional finals schedule
Northern Regional Final – Derbyshire CCC, Derby
11:00 – County Playoff (Spondon v Cherry Willingham)
12:30 – Semi-final 1 (South Shields v Whitley Hall)
14:00 – Semi-final 2 (Grasshoppers v Spondon/Cherry Willingham)
15:45 – Final
Midlands Regional Final – Warwickshire CCC, Edgbaston
12:30 – Semi-final 1 (Haverfordwest v Cutnall Green)
14:00 – Semi-final 2 (Ramsey v Elstow)
15:45 – Final
South and West Regional Final – Somerset CCC, Taunton
15:00 – Semi-final 1 (Newport v Exeter University)
16:30 – Semi-final 2 (St Austell v Burbage & Easton Royal)
18:00 – Final
London and East Regional Final – Kent CCC, Canterbury
13:15 – Semi-final 1 (Canterbury Christ Church University v AZ Woking)
14:45 – Semi-final 2 (Havant v Belhus)
16:30 – Final
Source: ECB