COUNTIES CRICKET Rishton's magnificent seven

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Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 July 2024 08:31

Published on Tuesday, 16 July 2024 07:20

Andy Rishton produced a career-best bowling performance to put Berkshire in complete control of their Durant Cricket National Counties Championship Western Division One match against Cornwall at Wargrave.

The experienced seam bowler took seven for 55 to dismiss Cornwall for 124 in their first innings and, with a mountainous lead of 315, Berkshire captain Dan Lincoln had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on.

Cornwall lost Gloucestershire staff man Joe Phillips for 22 at the start of their second innings before rain and bad light halted play with them 33 for one.

Earlier Phillips (47) and Karl Leathley (23) had opened Cornwall’s first innings with a first wicket partnership of 66 but the batting quickly unravelled once Rishton got to work.

Former Kent all-rounder Alex Blake, with 12, was the only other batter to make double figures as Berkshire closed in on a second win of the campaign.

Oxfordshire also tightened their grip on their match against Cheshire despite an interrupted day at Thame.

Wicketkeeper Ethan Litvin followed up his seven dismissals in Cheshire’s first innings with a half-century in his first visit to the crease for Oxfordshire.

Litvin and George Tait (80) shared a fourth wicket partnership of 249 before Dylan Driscoll (24), Tristan Rossouw (26), Tom Hinley (22) and Prav Chahal (27 not out) all attacked to set up the declaration at 424 for eight.

Alderley Edge seamer George Valentine, with four wickets on his Championship debut, supplied Cheshire with a crumb of comfort.

Cheshire, who trailed by 305 on first innings, lost opener Tom Hafil, LBW to Max Mannering, before the rain returned.

Defending champions Buckinghamshire face an uphill battle to avoid defeat against Suffolk at Tring after they were dismissed for 137 and conceded a first innings lead of 160 in their Eastern Division One match.

Former Worcestershire and Netherlands batter Alexei Kervezee did his best to hold Buckinghamshire together with 60 from 108 balls but only Vansh Jani - who made 42 and shared a fourth wicket partnership of 49 – kept him company for long.

Kervezee was ninth out, LBW to off-spinner Tom Harper whose four wickets were his first in the Championship.

Suffolk opted to bat again and increased their lead to 296 with seven wickets intact with Darren Ironside leading the way with 71 not out having shared an opening stand of 71 with Jack Beaumont.

Half centuries from Ben Wright (96) and captain Tom Keast (76) helped Lincolnshire to restrict Bedfordshire’s first innings lead to 106 at Dunstable.

The pair added 145 for the fourth wicket before handy runs down the order from Drew Sylvester (48), Josh Knapton (31) and Joshua Joy (20) took Lincolnshire to 287.

There were four wickets apiece for former Leicestershire seamer Alex Evans and Jack Fuller before Knapton appeared in his more familiar role as a new ball bowler and he dismissed Nabil Moughal and Oli Soames as Bedfordshire closed on 58 for three.

Another former Leicestershire player, Wayne White, dominated for Cambridgeshire against Cumbria at Kendal in Eastern Division Two.

After a blank first day White, who also played for Derbyshire and Lancashire, made 87 out of Cumbria’s 156 and almost carried his bat.

He was eventually last out, LBW to off-spinner Josh Stirling, having batted for almost four-and-a-half hours.

Lee Thomason, who helped White add 54 for the sixth wicket, was the only other Cambridgeshire batter to reach 20 as seamer Sam Sharp claimed five for 48, his best Championship figures.

But Cumbria also found batting difficult either side of a stoppage for rain as they lost Ben Walkden and Oliver Spedding to former Staffordshire seamer James Cox in crawling to 19 for two in 18 overs.

At the close Cumbria were 55 for four from 34 overs with opener Evan Williams batting two hours and facing 105 balls for his unbeaten 35. Cambridgeshire spinners James Sykes and Callum Guest had the combined figures of 19-8-18-2.

Half-centuries from Sam Arthurton (91), Ethan Metcalf (61) and Championship debutant Charlie Hood (53 not out) helped Norfolk to limit their first innings deficit to 45 against Hertfordshire at Bishop’s Stortford.

Arthurton and Metcalf opened with a partnership of 137 but Arthurton fell just short of what would have been his 15th Championship century when he fell to a return catch to Ben Waring’s left-arm spin.

Wicketkeeper Hood played a busy 54-ball innings that prolonged Norfolk’s resistance with the last three wickets adding 47.

Hertfordshire had extended their lead to 136 by the close with former Derbyshire all-rounder Archie Harrison unbeaten on 55, his maiden Championship half-century.

Only 18.3 overs were bowled in the Western Division Two match between Herefordshire and Wales NC at Eastnor, sandwiched between a late start and early finish due to rain.

In that time Herefordshire slipped from their overnight 143 for three to 201 for eight with the first three of the wickets going down for eight runs, including Ben Chapman-Lilley who failed to add to his overnight 69 before he edged to first slip.

Seamer Richard Edwards marked his first appearance of the season for Wales with the third wicket haul of his career and needing one more wicket for a Championship-best.

There was a complete washout at Wimborne on the second day of the other Western Division Two match between Dorset and Wiltshire.

National Counties Championship

Second day of three

Eastern Division One

Dunstable: Bedfordshire 393 (Sam Kelsall 155, George Thurstance 153) & 58-3, Lincolnshire 287 (Ben Wright 96, Tom Keast 76, Alex Evans 4-71, Jack Fuller 4-91).

Tring: Suffolk 297 (Alex Oxley 92, George Rhodes 87, Conner Haddow 4-90) & 136-3 (Darren Ironside 71 not out), Buckinghamshire 137 (Alexei Kervezee 60, Tom Harper 4-27).


Western Division One

Wargrave: Berkshire 439-7 (Johnny Connell 130, Dan Lincoln 88 not out, Charlie Dunnett 77) Cornwall 124 (Andy Rishton 7-55) & 33-1.

Thame: Cheshire 119 & 9-1, Oxfordshire 424-8 dec (George Tait 80, Hayden Rossouw 72, Luke Hayes 67, Ethan Litvin 56, George Valentine 4-87).


Eastern Division Two

Kendal: Cambridgeshire 156 (Wayne White 87, Sam Sharp 5-48), Cumbria 55-4.

Bishop’s Stortford: Hertfordshire 352-5 (Dominic Chatfield 158 not out, Andrew Neal 137) & 91-2 (Archie Harrison 55 not out), Norfolk 307 (Sam Arthurton 91, Ethan Metcalf 61, Charlie Hood 53 not out, Ben Waring 4-81).


Western Division Two

Wimborne: Dorset 261-9 dec (Joe Eckland 121, Will Tripcony 53), Wiltshire 70-5. No play Monday – rain.

Eastnor: Wales NC 248 (Brad Wadlan 99, Roshan Venkataraman 5-42, Taylor Cornall 4-54), Herefordshire 201-8 (Ben Chapman-Lilley 69, Richard Edwards 5-66)

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