COUNTIES CRICKET Championship round four, day one
- Details
- Last Updated on Monday, 18 August 2025 08:26
- Published on Monday, 18 August 2025 00:22
- Written by PAUL BOLTON Cricket Correspondent
Thompson, who is retiring from county cricket at the end of the season, made the seventh century of his career and Harvey his first having converted his maiden 50 into 101.
The pair added 149 for the fifth wicket while seamer Roshan Venkataraman led Herefordshire’s attack with the second five-wicket haul of his career.
Herefordshire lost Ben Chapman-Lilley early in their reply but captain Matt Pardoe made his third successive half-century to steer them to 83 for one at the close.
Defending Western Division champions Berkshire fought back hard after they had been frustrated by a solid Oxfordshire batting display at Thame.
Julian Laird and Luke Hayes (61) denied Berkshire a breakthrough before the afternoon session by opening with a partnership of 127. Laird, who is on the Sussex Academy, fell 15 short of a century on debut before George Tait (46) and Hayden Rossouw (42) contributed useful runs further down the order.
Slow left-armer Samm Daniel, with a career-best four for 114, and off-spinner Adam Searle (three for 92) were the most effective of Berkshire’s injury-hit attack.
Berkshire openers Rhys Lewis and Jonny Connell launched a bold counter-attack in the evening session, both of them compiling aggressive unbeaten half-centuries in an unbroken partnership of 110 in just 16 overs.
Jack Hope-Bell became the first Wales NC batter in seven years to make a century on Championship debut against Dorset at Wimborne in Western Division Two.
Hope-Bell, who was called up to replace player/coach Brad Wadlan who had club commitments with Penzance, made 104 from 135 balls before he became one of five victims for slow left-armer Connor Smith. Mujahid Ilyas, against Cheshire in 2018, was the previous Wales batter to make a century on debut in the competition.
Cian Davies (54) and Harry Friend (35) added 90 for the first wicket and skipper Cameron Herring (45) and Rhodri Lewis (38) contributed important runs lower down the order to help Wales to 339 all out.
Dorset closed on 65 for two with debutant Wilf La Fontaine Jackson unbeaten on 38.
Wiltshire captain Ed Young led from the front with a century against Shropshire at Bridgnorth.
Young’s 123 was the fourth Championship century of his career and was the centrepiece of an excellent team batting performance which helped Wiltshire to 388 for nine in their 90 overs.
Young added 177 for the fourth wicket with Jake Goodwin (75) after John Sadler (41) and Josh Kelly (46) had laid solid foundations with a second wicket partnership of 115.
Former Worcestershire Academy pair Cameron Jones (four for 69) and Joe Stanley (three for 102) did most to check Wiltshire’s progress.
Shropshire made a positive start to their reply with opener Harry Chandler striking ten fours in his 38-ball 43 before he edged Tom Vermaak to first slip.
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