View source for 1988 NatWest Trophy (partially found footage of one-day county cricket tournament matches; 1988)

{{InfoboxLost 
|title=<center>1988 NatWest Trophy</center> 
|image=1988natwesttrophy1.jpg
|imagecaption=Programme for the Final.
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span> 
}}
The '''''1988 NatWest Trophy''''' was a one-day 60-over county cricket tournament. Occurring from 22nd June to 3rd September 1988, the Final saw Middlesex beat Worcestershire by three wickets at Lord's Cricket Ground to claim its fourth title, helped primarily from a young Mark Ramprakash scoring 56 runs.

==Background==
The eighth running of the tournament under NatWest sponsorship, it was the 26th edition overall when also considering its previous history as the Gillette Cup.<ref name="history">[https://static.espncricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/ENG/TROPHY/ ''ESPNcricinfo'' summarising the tournament's history.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref> The 1964 format remained, with knockout games consisting of 60 overs per innings.<ref name="timeline">[https://static.espncricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/ENG/TROPHY/history.html ''ESPNcricinfo'' summarising the tournament's key changes.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref> Alongside the 16 first-class counties, thirteen Minor Counties competed.<ref name="timeline"/> Of these teams, only Cheshire progressed to the second round, defeating Northamptonshire by one wicket.<ref name="results">[https://static.espncricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/ENG/TROPHY/NWT_TABLE_1988.html ''Cricinfoengland'' listing the tournament's results.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref> The Irish and Scotland national teams competed, but both exited in Round 1 after losing by nine wickets and 85 runs to Gloucestershire and Glamorgan respectively.<ref name="results"/> Defending champions Nottinghamshire began its title defence by beating Devon via 64 runs, boosted by Derek Randall scoring 149 not out.<ref name="finals">[http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/ENG/TROPHY/GLTE_NWT_WINNERS.html ''ESPNcricinfo'' listing the results of every tournament Final.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref><ref>[http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1988/ENG_LOCAL/NWT/DEVON_NOTTS_NWT_22JUN1988.html ''ESPNcricinfo'' detailing the Nottinghamshire-Devon result.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref><ref name="results"/> However, their campaign ended prematurely against Worcestershire, the latter gaining access to the Quarter-Finals by virtue of a faster run rate.<ref name="wornot">[https://web.archive.org/web/20121022004345/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/50/50234.html Archived ''Cricket Archive'' detailing the Worcestershire-Nottinghamshire result.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref><ref name="results"/> This match, along with several other second round games, ended up being extended by a day or two following rain delays.<ref name="wornot"/><ref name="results"/>

Meanwhile, Middlesex's run to the Final consisted of beating Hertfordshire by eight wickets; Yorkshire by 37 runs; Kent by five wickets; before bowling out Surrey to win by 70 runs in the Semi-Finals.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121022004510/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/50/50401.html Archived ''Cricket Archive'' detailing the Middlesex-Surrey result.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref><ref name="results"/> Worcestershire's campaign saw it overcome Cumberland by 299 runs; Nottinghamshire by the aforementioned faster run rate;<ref name="wornot"/> Gloucestershire by four wickets; and lastly defeating Hampshire by 29 runs.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010075823/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/50/50402.html Archived ''Cricket Archive'' detailing the Worcestershire-Hampshire result.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref><ref name="results"/> Heading into the Final, Worcestershire had never previously won the trophy, while Middlesex was seeking its fourth title.<ref name="finals"/> Nevertheless, Worcestershire was enjoying a strong form, which would also contribute to the team's 1988 County Championship triumph.<ref>[https://www.crichq.com/competitions/6179-britannic-assurance-county-championship/draws/8661-britannic-assurance-county-championship-1988/standings_table ''CricHQ'' detailing the 1988 County Championship table.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref> 

The Final took place on 3rd September 1988 at Lord's Cricket Ground.<ref name="finalarchive">[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010075835/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/50/50502.html Archived ''Cricket Archive'' detailing the results of the Final.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref><ref name="finalespn">[http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1988/ENG_LOCAL/NWT/KNOCK-OUTS/MIDDX_WORCS_NWT-FINAL_03SEP1988.html ''ESPNcricinfo'' detailing the results of the Final.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref> Middlesex won the toss, electing to bowl first.<ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> The encounter was known for being a low-scoring affair, Worcestershire accumulating only 161/8.<ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> Phil Neale scored 64 runs, with Martin Weston accumulating 31, and David Leatherdale 29.<ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> In response, Middlesex's Simon Hughes achieved a 4/30 after eight overs, also being responsible for bowling out Neale.<ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> Middlesex's innings started poorly, as batsmen Wilf Slack, John Carr, and Andrew Needham were quickly dismissed by Graham Dilley after scoring a combined 21 runs.<ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> Mike Gatting would also be run out for a duck, putting Middlesex at 25/4.<ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> With Middlesex seemingly down-and-out, 18-year-old Mark Ramprakash stepped up.<ref name="ramprakash">[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/a-county-legend-a-test-failure-the-curious-career-of-mark-ramprakash-7912590.html ''Independent'' summarising Ramprakash's career, and his performance at the 1988 NatWest Trophy Final.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref><ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> He carried the team forward, scoring 56 runs by "batting throughout in his cap with confidence, style and a rare charm" according to the ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack''.<ref name="ramprakash"/><ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> 

By the time he was bowled by Dilley and caught by Neal Radford, Middlesex needed just three runs to win.<ref name="ramprakash"/><ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> This comeback was additionally bolstered by Roland Butcher's 24, and John Emburey's 35.<ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> Paul Downton scored the final three runs to claim victory by three wickets, Middlesex also earning £21,000 in prize money.<ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/> Ramprakash was declared the Final's Man of the Match; while commentators reflect on his generally disappointing Test cricket career with England, Ramprakash received praise for achieving over 100 first-class centuries throughout his career.<ref name="finalarchive"/><ref name="finalespn"/><ref name="ramprakash"/> His performance at the 1988 NatWest Trophy was also declared one of his finest.<ref name="ramprakash"/> By the time the trophy was abolished after 2009,<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/english-game-dumps-50-over-cricket-422403 ''ESPNcricinfo'' reporting on the tournament's discontinuation.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref> Middlesex never won the tournament again, having lost the subsequent 1989 Final to Warwickshire by four wickets, while Worcestershire claimed its sole cup in 1994 by beating Warwickshire by eight wickets.<ref name="history"/><ref name="finals"/>

==Availability==
Based on ''Radio Times'' issues, the BBC televised matches from the second round onwards.<ref name="genome">[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=first&q=natwest+trophy&after=1988-01-01T00%3A00%3A00.000Z&before=1988-12-31T23%3A59%3A59.999Z#top BBC Genome archive of ''Radio Times'' issues listing BBC's television and radio coverage of the tournament.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref> It alternated its tournament coverage across its two channels, BBC One and BBC Two.<ref name="genome"/> The early stages of the Final aired on ''Grandstand'' alongside horse racing and other sports, before BBC Two exclusively aired the last four hours.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_one_london/1988-09-03#at-10.15 Issue 3,379 of ''Radio Times'' listing BBC One's coverage of the Final as part of ''Grandstand''.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref><ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_two_england/1988-09-03#at-15.25 Issue 3,379 of ''Radio Times'' listing BBC Two's coverage of the Final.] Retrieved 11th Mar '23</ref><ref name="genome"/> Of the aired matches, highlights from the Middlesex-Surrey Semi-Final was uploaded to YouTube on 30th July 2022 by ST Snooker and Sport. No other coverage, including of the Final itself, is publicly available.

==Gallery==
===Video===
{{Video|perrow  =1
  |service1     =youtube
  |id1          =kVIWiAqM73M
  |description1 =Highlights from the Middlesex-Surrey match.
}}

==See Also==
*[[1938 Ashes Series (partially found footage of international test cricket match; 1938)]]
*[[Ashes Cricket 2013 (lost builds of cancelled home console ports of cricket game; 2013)]]
*[[Charles Bannerman testimonial cricket match (lost radio coverage of charity cricket match; 1922)]]

==External Links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121103121553/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Seasons/ENG/1988_ENG_National_Westminster_Bank_Trophy_1988.html Archived ''Cricket Archive'' listing the tournament's results.]
*[http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1988/ENG_LOCAL/NWT/ ''ESPNcricinfo'' listing the tournament's results.]

==References== 
{{reflist}} 

[[Category:Lost recordings of sports events]]
[[Category:Partially found media]]