Richmondshire booked their place in the 2026 White Rose Trophy final with a hard-earned two-wicket victory over Sheffield Collegiate at Abbeydale Sports Club on 20 September 2026.
Stand-in captain Gary Pratt held a tense semi-final together with a measured 85 that proved the difference between the sides.
With regular skipper and wicketkeeper Dan Hodgson unavailable, alongside long-serving opener Michael Layfield, Richmondshire took the field in unfamiliar shape. Pratt assumed the captaincy, Bertie Morris took the gloves, and the reshuffle handed opportunities to younger players who would repay the faith before the afternoon was out.
Sheffield Collegiate won the toss and chose to bat, but were pegged back at once, Josh Dowson striking with the new ball to leave the first wicket down at 1-8 inside the second over. They rebuilt patiently through the middle order without ever breaking clear, and at 110 for six looked well within Richmondshire’s compass. That the innings reached a competitive 211 for eight from its 50 overs owed almost everything to H Eldred, whose 71 anchored an 81-run recovery to 191 before he fell late on. D Old had earlier lent the innings some backbone with 42, and R Abrar finished unbeaten on 34 to carry the hosts to a defendable total.
Richmondshire’s bowling was disciplined and, at times, distinctly awkward to get away. Sam Wood was the pick with three for 40 from his 14 overs, removing three of the top four to leave Sheffield 85 for four, while Joe White was miserly in the extreme — one for seven from six overs, two of them maidens. Shafiqullah Ghafari shouldered the longest spell for one for 69 from 15 overs and had the dangerous Eldred caught, while Josh Dowson (one for 30) struck early and Max Percival (one for 61) removed the eighth man. Morris, busy behind the stumps, ran out T Currie to check Sheffield at 88 for five.
Chasing 212, Richmondshire leaned heavily on their captain. Pratt was the constant while wickets fell at the other end, his experience telling with every over as the required rate threatened to climb beyond reach. His 85 from 127 balls, laced with six fours, was the innings on which the result was built — a genuine captain’s knock in every sense. Around him, Rob Carr contributed a useful 24 and Morris a watchful 17, and the chase was eased by 25 extras, 18 of them wides, that kept the board moving when the batting stalled.
Even so, it went to the wire. When Pratt departed the game was still delicately poised, and it needed nerve from the younger men to finish the job. Max Percival supplied the urgency, a brisk 20 from just 10 balls including two sixes that swung the momentum decisively Richmondshire’s way and turned a chase that had inched along into one with genuine impetus. Alex Percival then held firm at the death, an unbeaten 27 from 34 balls guiding the side home in the company of Josh Dowson (3 not out). Richmondshire reached 212 for eight with two wickets standing and four balls to spare — the tightest of margins.
Richmondshire now play Clifton Alliance at Headingley on Saturday 26th September.
