COUNTIES CRICKET Championship round four preview

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Created on Sunday, 17 August 2025 00:22

Last Updated on Sunday, 17 August 2025 08:27

Published on Sunday, 17 August 2025 00:22

Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent

Berkshire face a crunch match in this week's National Counties Cricket Championship.

Although this is the penultimate round of three-day matches, Berkshire sit out the last round of matches next month which means they head into their final Division One match today needing victory.

Berkshire make the short trip to Thame to face Oxfordshire still seeking their first win in their defence of the Western Division title. They have drawn all three matches so far including a tense affair against Herefordshire at Falkland earlier in the week when their last wicket pair of Dan Lincoln and Adam Searle blocked out the last 42 balls to deny the visitors.

Berkshire will be missing former Middlesex seamer Toby Greatwood, who pulled up with a recurrence of a shoulder injury early on the first day at Falkland, against Oxfordshire. All-rounder Josh Lincoln is brought into the squad along with Samm Daniel.

Oxfordshire, who were denied by the rain against Herefordshire two weeks ago, will give debuts to Julian Laird and Chris Jackson.

Laird, a left-handed batter and left-arm finger spinner, is a product of Oxfordshire’s youth system who is now on the Sussex Academy.

Seamer Jackson plays his cub cricket for Wolverhampton in the Birmingham & District Premier League and is currently trialling with Sussex.

Herefordshire are also seeking their first win since they were promoted back to Division One last season. They host Devon at Eastnor where top order batter Ollie Hallion will make his seasonal debut. Hasan Mahmood, who was unavailable last week, returns.

Devon have named an unchanged side for their second visit to Eastnor this season following a T20 double-header in June and will go there as the only side in Western Division One having won this season following victory over Cornwall on Tuesday.

Cheshire, who also sit out this round of matches, will also be displaced as Western Division Two leaders. They are level on points – 44 each – with Wiltshire who face Shropshire at Bridgnorth.

Former Worcestershire batter Tom Fell will captain Shropshire in the absence of the unavailable Charlie Home and Oswestry all-rounder Warrick Fynn his first county appearance in six years.

Warwickshire and England Under-19 all-rounder Theo Wylie is available to make his Championship debut with Shifnal pair Cameron Jones and Ollie Parton recalled.

Dorset give a debut to Durham UCCE batter Wilf La Fontaine Jackson, a former Hampshire Academy player, against Wales NC at Wimborne.

Seamer Ollie Breckon will make his first Championship appearance in three years with batter Thomas Whiting, a product of the county’s pathway programme, a potential debutant.

Wales are missing the experienced Brad Wadlan who has commitments with Penzance in the National Club Championship on Sunday.

Batter Jack Hope-Bell and seamer Ollie Sherwood will make their Championship debuts.

NCCA Cluberly Championship

August 17-19

Eastern Division One

Cleethorpes: Lincolnshire v Suffolk. Stafford: Staffordshire v Buckinghamshire.

Western Division One

Thame: Oxfordshire v Berkshire. Eastnor: Herefordshire v Devon.

Eastern Division Two

Furness: Cumbria v Northumberland. Hertford: Hertfordshire v Bedfordshire.

Western Division Two

Wimborne: Dorset v Wales NC. Bridgnorth: Shropshire v Wiltshire.

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