Unicorns played in Group A of the
2010 Clydesdale Bank 40, along with
Glamorgan,
Lancashire,
Somerset,
Surrey,
Sussex and
Worcestershire; The competition was created for the 18
first-class counties, plus
Scotland,
Ireland and a Recreational XI based on players from the
Minor Counties. Ireland declined to compete, thus leaving the competition one team short for the proposed three groups of seven format; and
The Netherlands took their place. Unicorns were created to play representing the Minor Counties, thus giving a new opportunity for younger players to gain experience and to learn from experienced professionals. Unicorns had no fixed stadium and played their home games at six different outgrounds (stadiums with occasional use by first-class counties). After a promising start in reply to
Sussex's 255/8 at
Hove, Unicorns collapsed from 207/4 to 211
all out, to lose their first full competitive game by 44 runs. Former
England international bowler
James Kirtley led the collapse, with four wickets in eight balls. Unicorns then lost by seven wickets to
Somerset at
Taunton. In their fourth group game, on 16 May, Unicorns recorded their first win. Batting first against
Glamorgan at
Dean Park,
Bournemouth, Unicorns scored 231/8, including a
stand of 126 between Parsons and Knappett. Glamorgan were then restricted to 173. Unicorns then went on to hit the record books when they stunned Sussex, in complete contrast to their batting collapse against them earlier in the competition.
Wes Durston smashed 117 from 68 balls as they chased down a target of 325 to set the highest score (327/4) for a team batting second in the history of 40-over cricket. The third-wicket partnership between Durston and
Josh Knappett, both making their highest List A scores, made 165 in just 18 overs. On resumption of the competition following the two-month break for
Twenty20 matches, Unicorns suffered a nine-wicket defeat to
Lancashire, before chasing another large total (277 runs), this time set by
Worcestershire to win with two balls to spare;
Michael O'Shea hit 90 from 62 balls. ==Demise==