India’s Prithvi Shaw could not shine on his Northamptonshire debut in England’s Domestic One-Day Cup 2023 but his teammate Tom Taylor delivered an exceptional performance. Batting at no.8 Taylor smashed 112 runs from 88 balls against Gloucestershire. While his knock ended in a losing cause, he broke the record for highest score by a no.8 batter for Northamptonshire.
In the run chase of 279, Northants lost five wickets for just 30 runs in 10 overs. On the other end, Shaw seemed like he was batting on a different pitch altogether. But he struggled with cramps and in an attempt to play a hook shot of Paul van Meekeren, he lost balance and fell on the wickets getting out hit wicket.
Taylor and Lewis McManus rescued Northants and shared an 86-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Lewis McManus who scored 54 runs from 65 balls. Jack White also supported Taylor and shared a 106-run partnership for the ninth wicket. This is the highest ninth-wicket partnership for Northants in List A cricket.
Taylor employed the reverse sweep against spinners and succeeded most of the time. He took Northants close to the target but got out to Tom Price in the 47th over. His 88-ball 112 was laced with 16 fours and three sixes. This was also his maiden List A century.
Taylor’s knock was not enough to see Northants home as they l got bowled out for 255 and lost the match by 23 runs at College Ground, Cheltenham. Price and Ajeet Dale were the pick of the bowlers with four wickets each.
Earlier, Gloucestershire suffered a batting collapse as well and lost seven wickets for 142 in 30 overs. Graeme van Buuren and Pakistan's Anwar Ali shared a 104-run partnership for the eighth wicket to help Gloucestershire post a fighting total on the board. Buuren got run out after scoring 108 runs from 102 balls including 12 fours and two sixes. Ali's 56-ball 61 included three fours and two sixes.
Northamptonshire will now face Sussex in their next clash at County Ground, Northampton on August 6.
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