Berkshire returned to title-winning ways by beating Cheshire by 112 runs in the NV Play National Counties Trophy final to win the competition for a ninth time.

The match appeared to be finely-balanced when Cheshire were 52 for one in pursuit of a target of 211 but the departure of skipper Sam Perry, run out by a direct hit from James Isbell from the midwicket boundary, proved the turning point.

Cheshire lost their last nine wickets for 46 and were dismissed for 98, the second-lowest total in a Trophy final, with Ben Salter following up his 49 in Berkshire’s innings with a devastating spell of 6-1-11-4. Salter added an excellent running catch on the long-on boundary to dismiss Will Street and won the Player of the Match Award.

Salter, who is on Hampshire’s Academy, was initially scheduled to bowl only four overs as part of his managed return from injury. Hampshire gave Berkshire permission for Salter to bowl two more overs after he took a wicket in each of his first three overs though he missed out on become the first bowler to take five wickets in a Trophy final since 2009.

But spinners Sulaiman Akhtar and Euan Woods throttled Cheshire in Salter’s absence to secure another title for Berkshire after they finished a season without silverware last year for the first time since 2015.

“Ben has just come back to bowling after the stress fracture he had last year,” explained Berkshire Head Coach Bjorn Mordt.

“He bowled in our Showcase on Friday and Hampshire have put him on programme where they re-introduce him really slowly. The plan is over the next year he is hopefully going to get a gig there.

“They told us that he could bowl four overs today but when he started ripping through their middle order we made a few phone calls and they allowed him another two.

“I think six was about right because he was a bit tired at the end. But he’s an exceptional cricketer.”

For Mordt it was his first title as coach although he did win the Trophy when he was captain of the county.

“The hardest part of being a coach is not being able to go out there and do it with them. As a captain you could always lead and do something,” he said.

“As a coach you have to trust that we have made the right decisions and let your players fly. I thought they were exceptional today.

“I thought that was a 240-250 wicket but the way they fought so hard, even when Cheshire were 50-off for one and the game was pretty much in the balance,  was exceptional. For them to just take that game by the throat and stay there and work so hard was testament to these young guys.

“They are an incredible young team. We have had a bit of rebuild with some new players who have come in. For them to enjoy success in their first year is incredible.”

For Cheshire defeat came at the end of a difficult and emotional week following the death on Tuesday of their President Peter Babbage.

Cheshire’s players wore black armbands and a minute’s silence was observed before play to honour the county stalwart.

Cheshire had hoped to honour Babbage’s memory by winning the Trophy for the first time since 2018 and they appeared well-placed to do so when they restricted Berkshire to 210.

Almost half of those runs – 104 – came in a fifth wicket partnership between Euan Woods, with the only half century of the match, and Salter with seamers Andy Jackson and Henry Dobson causing problems on a pitch on which the ball gripped.

Cheshire needed Perry to play the anchor role, as he did in the semi-final victory over Cumbria, and he had played himself in with 23 in the first 12 overs when he failed to beat Isbell’s accurate thrown from deep midwicket as he went for a second run off Toby Greatwood.

Salter held a return catch off a leading edge to account for former Lancashire batter George Lavelle, then had Fred Vaughan-Hawkins caught behind down the legside followed by Dobson in his first three overs.

When Henry Murray edged to slip, Cheshire were 74 for six and there was no recovery even when Salter was given his mandatory rest.

“We were well placed at halfway and we would have taken that having lost the toss. At 50-odd for one we felt confident we could go close. But I didn’t really see that happening,” said Cheshire Coach Gavin Colbourne.

“It was disappointing to lose nine for 46 and a disappointing way to end the campaign.

“In terms of the campaign I cannot fault the players. We have had a really young side but we have competed well this year and we have learnt a lot as we have gone along.

“It’s just disappointing that we just couldn’t put together a complete performance together for the final. I thought we did a lot really well in the first innings. Losing the toss on a wicket like that we would have taken 210.

“But, great credit to Berkshire once they got rid of Sam they executed their skills really well and were deserved winners. We will have to try again next year and come back stronger.

“Pete’s death does puts things in perspective. We were desperate to do well for Pete and his memory. His death affected a lot of the group and officials during the week.

“We are sad that we couldn’t put a performance for Pete and recognise his memory.”

NV Play National Counties Trophy Final

Copdock: Berkshire 210 (Euan Woods 59, Ben Salter 49, Henry Dobson 3-41), Cheshire 98 (Ben Salter 4-11, Sulaiman Akhtar 3-10). Berkshire won by 112 runs.