COUNTIES CRICKET Berkshire win Western One title

Details

Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 August 2024 10:07

Published on Wednesday, 14 August 2024 08:00

Berkshire clinched the Western Division One title of the Durant Cricket National Counties Championship and a place in next month’s final by drawing their final divisional match against Oxfordshire at the Falkland club in Newbury.

A draw was all that Berkshire, who sit out next weekend’s final round of matches, needed to scupper Oxfordshire’s hopes of overtaking them and they comfortably achieved that by batting through the final day.

Centuries from Euan Woods and captain Dan Lincoln denied Oxfordshire a sniff of victory with Lincoln unbeaten on 147 when he declared on 469 for nine.

Woods and Lincoln shared a fifth wicket partnership of 113 before Woods departed for 133 from 259 balls but Lincoln remained and was given excellent support by Rhodri Lewis who clattered a quickfire 38 as Berkshire put the game beyond Oxfordshire’s reach.

Berkshire now have more than two weeks to prepare for the four-day final at West Bromwich Dartmouth starting on Sunday September 1.

Oxfordshire’s remaining task is to ensure they secure Division One status next season in their final match against Devon at Banbury this weekend.

Devon, last season’s Western Division champions, were frustrated by Cheshire resistance and bad light which meant their match at Sidmouth ended as a draw.

Half-centuries from Sam Perry, Rob Sehmi and Nick Anderson stretched Cheshire’s second innings to 317 which left Devon to chase 207 for their first win of the season.

They were in trouble at 32 for four but were rallied by an unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 89 between Lawrence Walker (51 not out) and Calum Haggett (34 not out) which took them to 121 for four.

The light then deteriorated and the umpires took the players off at 5pm with play abandoned 45 minutes later after the forecast rain arrived on the south coast.

Cheshire now face Cornwall at Chester Boughton Hall in their final match with both counties also in peril of relegation.

Defending champions Buckinghamshire secured their first win of the season with a 34 runs success against Bedfordshire at Flitwick in Eastern Division One.

Staffordshire opened up a four points lead over Buckinghamshire by beating Suffolk in a perfectly-paced run chase at Stafford to also secure their first victory of the season.

Suffolk’s defeat saw them drop to the bottom of the table, seven points behind both Lincolnshire – who they meet at Copdock in their final match – and Bedfordshire who are facing the prospect of a second relegation in three years having now completed their four match programme.

In Western Division Two, Herefordshire and Shropshire set up a promotion showdown at Eastnor this weekend by beating Dorset and Wales NC respectively.

Herefordshire were the day’s first winners as they beat Dorset by ten wickets at Wimborne.

Dorset managed to avoid an innings defeat – but only just – thanks to the efforts of Greg Willows (55) and Connor Smith (30).

But with James Rudge – who finished with eight wickets in the match - and Matt Pardoe sharing eight second innings wickets, Dorset were dismissed for 306, a lead of just two.

Rudge was promoted to open the batting in Herefordshire’s second innings and needed just one ball from Will Tripcony, which he thumped for six, to wrap up an emphatic win.

Dorset ended the season winless and will be Western Division wooden spoonists unless Wiltshire fail to collect two points from their last match against Wales NC at Abergavenny.

Wales’s hopes of playing First Division for the first time were virtually extinguished by their 149 runs defeat by Shropshire at Bridgnorth.

Shropshire’s early declaration challenged Wales to make 352 in two-and-a-half sessions but, after a promising start  led by Callum Nicholls’s half century, they subsided from 90 for one to 133 for nine.

High quality seam bowling from North Walian Ben Roberts, playing against his former side, and the aggression of Ollie Currill unsettled Wales with Roberts taking his maiden five wicket haul in the competition.

But Shropshire were made to wait for their victory by a frustrating last wicket partnership of 69 between Will Moore (19) and Romano Franco (50 not out).

The left-handed Franco decided attack was the best form of defence as he rattled to a maiden half century while Moore dug in at the other end.

Although the tea interval was delayed for 30 minutes, Shropshire could not dislodge either of the pair but Roberts was recalled after the break and soon had Moore taken at second slip to claim his sixth wicket and clinch a second consecutive win.

Durant Cricket National Counties Championship

Final day of three

Eastern Division One

Flitwick: Buckinghamshire 468-7 (Alexei Kervezee 180, Cameron Hemp 105, Ed Bragg 55) & 134 (Jack Fuller 4-48), Bedfordshire 379 (George Thurstance 108, Oli Soames 70, Conner Haddow 6-142) & 189 (Sam Kelsall 63 not out, Tom Hampton 5-36). Buckinghamshire (24pts) beat Bedfordshire (7pts) by 34 runs.

 Stafford: Suffolk 277 (George Rhodes 70, Josh Cantrell 51, Tom Brett 4-64) & 378-6 dec (George Rhodes 130, Darren Ironside 89), Staffordshire 349-6 dec (Michael Hill 116 not out, Reeve Evitts 81, Tom Moulton 52) & 308-5 (Tom Moulton 77, Reeve Evitts 53, Callum Hawkins 50). Staffordshire (24pts) beat Suffolk (5pts) by five wickets.

Western Division One

Falkland CC: Berkshire 317-7 (Charlie Dunnett 118 not out, Dan O’Driscoll 96) & 469-9 dec (Dan Lincoln 146 not out, Euan Woods 133), Oxfordshire 278-8 dec (Tristan Rossouw 95 not out, Luke Beaven 4-80). Berkshire (10pts) drew with Oxfordshire (10pts).

Sidmouth: Cheshire 287 (Harry Dearden 55) & 317 (Sam Perry 74, Rob Sehmi 53, Nick Anderson 52, Luke McCoy 52, Sam Read 4-91), Devon 398 (Ben Beaumont 154, Calum Haggett 115, Sam Elstone 67, Dan Wilson 5-92) & 121-4 (Lawrence Walker 51 not out). Devon (12pts) drew with Cheshire (11pts). Eastern Division Two

Sawston: Cambridgeshire 475-6 (Wayne White 199, Will Routledge 90, Callum Guest 82) & 186-3 dec (Ben Claydon 56 not out, Dan Andrew 52 not out), Northumberland 128 (Wayne White 4-26, James Sykes 4-45) & 257 (Ali Appleby 97). Cambridgeshire (24pts) beat Northumberland (2pts) by 276 runs.

Horsford: Cumbria 411-8 (Will Fraine 235, Freddie Fallows 70, Ed Moulton 57 not out, Brett Stolworthy 5-68) & 103 (Joe Everett 5-34), Norfolk 353 (Ben Wilcox 106, Ethan Metcalf 80, Sam Arthurton 65, Nico Watt 6-107, Freddie Fallows 4-89) & 164-5 (Sam Arthurton 64, Sammy King 64). Norfolk (23pts) beat Cumbria (8pts) by five wickets.

Western Division Two

Wimborne: Dorset 156 (James Rudge 4-32) & 306 (Luke Webb 74, Greg Willows 55, Finn Gordon 52, Matt Pardoe 4-52, James Rudge 4-90), Herefordshire 460-8 (Matt Pardoe 184, Taylor Cornall 101, Olly Cox 76) & 6-0. Herefordshire (24pts) beat Dorset (3pts) by 10 wickets.

Bridgnorth: Shropshire 206 (Tom Fell 117, Tim Moses 4-48) & 324-9 dec (Andre Bradford 58, Ollie Currill 57), Wales NC 179 (Steffan Roberts 54) & 202 (Callum Nicholls 51, Romano Franco 50 not out). Shropshire (21pts) beat Wales NC (5pts) by 149 runs

• < Prev
• Next >