NATIONAL COUNTIES Western Division day one report
- Details
- Created on Monday, 12 July 2021 07:58
- Last Updated on Monday, 12 July 2021 10:44
- Published on Monday, 12 July 2021 07:58
- Written by PAUL BOLTON National Counties Cricket correspondent
Berkshire made a strong start to their quest to win the National Counties Championship for a record fifth consecutive time before rain interrupted play on the opening day of their Western Division One match against Wiltshire at Corsham.Wiltshire were struggling on 127 for seven when the weather closed in having opted to bat first after Berkshire’s new ball pair of Tom Nugent and Andy Rishton had done the early damage.
Nugent had Cameron Steel, the Durham opener who is on loan at Hampshire, caught behind from the third ball of the match.
Rishton gave little away in an opening spell of 16-7-34-2 and it was left to skipper Ed Young (26) and Jack Stearman (35) to shore up the innings before the rain gave Wiltshire an opportunity to regroup.
Dorset claimed maximum batting points against Cheshire at Oxton thanks to 82 from captain Luke Webb and 71 from Ed Ellis.
Flowery Field seamer Michael Finan took four wickets in a Championship innings for the first time to check Dorset’s progress but Robert Pack took two from the last ball of the 90th over to ensure full batting points.
Cheshire reached 63 without loss in reply with Didsbury’s Tim Hughes making 27 not out on his county debut.
Matt Thompson made a valuable half century in his 50th Championship match to rescue Devon in their Western Division Two match against Herefordshire at Brockhampton.
Devon slipped to 112 for six, with seamer Barney Morgan taking half the wickets, but Thompson held firm with 78 not out and helped them to recover to 172 for eight when rain brought an early close.
Rain restricted play at Pontarddulais to just 28.4 overs in which time Cornwall and Cardiff MCCU opener Chris Gibson made 44 not out on his debut for the county against Wales NC.
The only wicket to fall was another debutant, former Worcestershire batsman Olly Westbury - who played for Shropshire two years ago. Cornwall also gave a debut to another former Worcestershire player, slow left-armer Ben Twohig, who previously played for Herefordshire.
National Counties Championship (day one of three)
Western Division One
Oxton: Dorset 325-8 (Luke Webb 82, Ed Ellis 71), Cheshire 63-0.
Corsham: Wiltshire 127-7 v Berkshire.
Brockhampton: Devon 172-8 (Matt Thompson 78 not out) v Herefordshire
Pontarddulais: Cornwall 68-1 v Wales NC.
Eastern Division One
Cleethorpes: Lincolnshire 237 (Jaden Fell 64, Joe Kendall 61, Ryan Findlay 5-87), Norfolk 117-2.
Bury St Edmunds: Suffolk 232 (Josh Cantrell 60, Ali Hancock 4-55), Cambridgeshire 35-4.
Eastern Division Two
Jesmond: Hertfordshire 383 (Reece Hussain 121, Eshun Kalley 61, Harry Ellison 55, Karl Carver 4-109) v Northumberland.
Bedford School: Buckinghamshire 264 (Alex Woodland 109, Alexei Kervezee 70, Tom Brett 4-73), Bedfordshire 47-5.
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