COUNTIES CRICKET Round two, day one round-up
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- Created on Monday, 15 July 2024 07:20
- Last Updated on Monday, 15 July 2024 08:23
- Published on Monday, 15 July 2024 07:20
- Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent
Connell announced himself with a brilliant century in victory over Middlesex in a Showcase match two years ago but this was his first in a competitive match and came after a number of near-misses.
Captain Dan Lincoln (88 not out from 76 balls) and Charlie Dunnett (77) also tucked in as Berkshire piled up 439 for seven in their 90 overs.
Cornwall openers Karl Leathley and Joe Phillips – the Gloucestershire batter who is playing his first match of the season for his native county – made a positive response, adding 59 before the close.
Oxfordshire wicketkeeper Ethan Litvin had a debut to remember as he took six catches and made a stumping against Cheshire at Thame.
Litvin, who is playing for Birmingham & District Premier League club Kenilworth Wardens after previous stints with Harrogate and Castleford set an Oxfordshire record for dismissals in an innings. The competition record for dismissals in an innings is eight, by Staffordshire’s Paul Goodwin in 2007.
Litvin will need only three more in the second innings to add the record for dismissals in a match.
Cheshire, who opted to bat first, were out for 119 and Oxfordshire ended the day with a lead of 100 with seven wickets in hand after Hayden Rossouw (72) and Luke Hayes (67) had shared a second wicket partnership of 147.
Seamer Prav Chahal – with three for 13 in nine overs – led Oxfordshire’s attack, well supported by spinners Max Mannering and Tom Hinley who shared four wickets.
Herefordshire seamer Roshan Venkataraman took his maiden five wicket haul in the Championship to dismiss Wales NC for 248 at Eastnor in Western Division Two.
Venkataraman took the first four wickets and Wales profited for a time while he was out of the attack with Brad Wadlan (99) and skipper Cameron Herring (34) adding 96 for the fifth wicket.
Former Worcestershire batter Taylor Cornall showed his versatility by taking four wickets with his left-arm spin while Venkataraman returned to deny Wadlan his century.
Acting-captain Ben Chapman-Lilley led Herefordshire to 143 for three in reply with an unbeaten half-century.
Hampshire batter Joe Eckland made his maiden century for Dorset in their local derby against Wiltshire at Wimborne.
Will Tripcony (55) and Finn Gordon (40) had laid the foundations with a second wicket partnership of 76 and Dorset declared on 261 for nine after Eckland was caught behind by Ben Draper from a top-edged sweep.
Dorset had 12 overs unused when the declaration came but their bowlers put the extra time to good use as Wiltshire closed on 77 for five with another Hampshire man, Felix Organ, removing Toby Kershaw then Draper with his off-spin just before the close.
Although the sun made a welcome appearance in most places after a rain-ravaged opening round of matches there was no play possible at Kendal in the Eastern Division Two match between Cumbria and Cambridgeshire.
National Counties Championship
First day of three
Eastern Division One
Dunstable: Bedfordshire 393 (Sam Kelsall 155, George Thurstance 153), Lincolnshire 90-3.
Tring: Suffolk 297 (Alex Oxley 92, George Rhodes 87, Conner Haddow 4-90), Buckinghamshire 36-3.
Western Division One
Wargrave: Berkshire 439-7 (Johnny Connell 130, Dan Lincoln 88 not out, Charlie Dunnett 77) Cornwall 59-0.
Thame: Cheshire 119, Oxfordshire 219-3 (Hayden Rossouw 72, Luke Hayes 67).
Eastern Division Two
Kendal: Cumbria v Cambridgeshire. No play Sunday – rain.
Bishop’s Stortford: Hertfordshire 352-5 (Dominic Chatfield 158 not out, Andrew Neal 137) Norfolk 72-0.
Western Division Two
Wimborne: Dorset 261-9 dec (Joe Eckland 121, Will Tripcony 53), Wiltshire 70-5. Eastnor: Wales NC 248 (Brad Wadlan 99, Roshan Venkataraman 5-42, Taylor Cornall 4-54), Herefordshire 143-3 (Ben Chapman-Lilley 69 not out)
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