Staffordshire won the toss in the second match and elected to bat first as the sun was attempting to break through the cloudy skies.
Priestley attempted a cut off Jackson that flew past short third man for the first boundary of the innings in the second over. Jackson bowled him next ball as Staffordshire fell to 8/1. Lincoln then pulled to the mid-wicket fence in the 4th over before he drove through extra cover in the next. Evitts clipped one over mid-wicket for his first boundary to end a productive over for the home side. Jackson started the 6th over with 5 wides before Lincoln smashed him for a huge six back over his head. He then cut one away through backward point for another boundary as 17 runs came from the over, and Staffordshire finished the powerplay on 47/1.
Evitts was trapped LBW in the 9th over by Brookes as he attempted a sweep to leave Staffordshire 58/2. Lincoln cut strongly through backward point for a boundary in the 10th over as Staffordshire made their way to 71/2 at the halfway point of their innings and were well placed for a good total. Kettleborough smashed a short ball for a flat six in the 12th over before he advanced down the track and hit the final ball for another boundary through extra cover this time. An inside-out drive over extra cover for 6, followed in the next over as the skipper began to show off his wide range of shots. He smashed another drive away for four through the covers in the 15th over as the score moved to 114/2.
Lincoln went to his 50 with a single into the offside. It came in exactly 50 balls and contained four 4s and one towering six. Kettleborough then advanced down the pitch and lofted a six over long-on before he hit another boundary through mid-wicket in the next over. Staffordshire moved to 129/2 with 4 overs remaining.
Kettleborough carved a full ball for four over backwards point in the next over, as a total of 9 runs came from the 17th over. Lincoln swept hard to the square leg boundary to start the 18th over before a reverse hit went to the point fence as he moved to 66*. He then backed away and smashed the next ball through extra cover for his 3rd boundary of the over as Staffordshire moved to 155/2 with 2 overs to go. Kettleborough reached his 50 with a massive six that landed in the car park, before nicking a low full toss to the third man boundary as 15 runs came from the 19th over. The final over started with another edge to the 3rd man boundary before Kettleborough drove handsomely through extra cover. The next ball disappeared into the trees as he smashed it over long on for a towering six. The first 3 balls of the over had gone for 14 runs before his fine innings was ended when he was caught at square leg for an excellent 72 that came off just 34 balls. It contained seven 4s and 5 big 6s. Walker scampered a two before he hit the final ball of the innings for four back down the ground. 20 runs came off the final over and 61 from the final 4 as Staffordshire closed on 190/3 from their 20 overs.
Lincoln finished unbeaten on 75 off 65 balls that included seven 4s and one six. He added 126 for the 3rd wicket with Kettleborough in just 11.3 overs as Staffordshire accelerated well at the end of their innings. Lincoln played the anchor role after Staffordshire lost Priestley early.
Carroll chipped Priestley to Hurt at mid-on to give Staffordshire the perfect start. Perry then struck Hurt for back-to-back boundaries in the 2nd over before he slog swept Priestley for a maximum in the next over. He helped a full toss to the square leg boundary to round out the over. Atkinson trapped Newton LBW in the 4th over to leave Cheshire 30/2. Garlick was struck for two boundaries in the 5th over, one by Vaughan-Hawkins and the other by Perry. Cheshire finished the power play on 48/2 as they made a good start.
Cheshire then scored two streaky boundaries in the next two overs when Vaughan-Hawkins twice edged to the third man fence. Perry smashed an enormous six over mid-wicket to close out the 9th over. He drove Brett down the ground for another boundary in the next over before smashing back-to-back sixes over the leg side. The second disappeared into the trees as 16 came from the first 3 balls of the over. A two and two singles followed as 20 runs eventually came from the over. Perry then smashed Hurt over square leg for another maximum to reach his 50. An incredible 31 runs had come from the last 8 balls before Vaughan-Hawkins then holed out to Garlick on the long on boundary for a well-made 43 off just 22 balls as he shared 77 for the 3rd wicket in just 7 overs. It was a crucial wicket for Staffordshire as the partnership was beginning to look dangerous, and it was that man Hurt, again, who broke it.
A fine lofted cover drive brought Perry another boundary in the 11th over before he took two more boundaries from the next over. He first pulled a short ball behind square and then played a lovely late cut that dissected short third man and backward point. He smashed another short ball to the fence in the 14th over as he rapidly moved to 78*. Garlick returned to remove Strong when he nicked one through to Lincoln to leave Cheshire 138/4. Hurt then bowled Dearden with a slower ball to leave the visitors requiring 48 from 30 balls to win this match.
Walker conceded only 6 runs from the 16th over before Perry found the boundary twice in the next over as the equation became 29 to win from the final 3 overs. Perry reached a brilliant 100 in the next with a single off the final ball, but only 4 singles came from the Walker over, and the visitors now wanted 25 from the final two overs. The game was all but over when Perry holed out to Garlick off Hurt in the 19th over. Perry finished with 100 from just 56 balls, and he had threatened to win the game on his own before some excellent death bowling by Walker and Hurt put the brakes on the innings. His innings contained ten 4s and three 6s as he lit up Burslem with some fantastic stroke play. 4 singles came from the over before Garlick picked up two wickets in the last over to seal victory for Staffordshire by 17 runs.
Hurt was the pick of the bowlers once again. He finished with 4/29. Garlick gave good support and finished with 3/23. Dual victories mean that Staffordshire go to the top of the table and qualify for the Super 12s. They now have two weeks off before they make the long trip to Carlisle to play Cumbria on the 5th of July.
