Durant Cricket National Counties Championship Day 2 Review

Defending champions Berkshire are facing their first home defeat in the Durant Cricket National Counties Championship in nine years after Cheshire dominated the second day of their Western Division One match at Finchampstead. 

A maiden five wicket haul from seamer Andrew Jackson helped Cheshire earn a first innings lead of 207 which they built on remorselessly thanks to a first Championship century from Henry Dobson. 

Dobson followed up his 70 in the first innings with 121 to raise the prospect of Berkshire losing a three-day match on home soil for the first since they were beaten by Herefordshire at Finchampstead in July 2014. 

Berkshire have won on each their annual visits to Finchampstead in every season since then but, having been dismissed for 174 in their first innings, the chances of them extending that sequence appear to be remote. 

Having drawn their first two matches against Devon and Oxfordshire, Berkshire would have hoped to make home advantage count to improve their prospects of topping the Western Division and progressing to next month’s final at West Bromwich Dartmouth. 

But Berkshire struggled against Jackson and required a last wicket stand of 46 between Toby Greatwood (22 not out) and Mungo Russell (26) boost their total. 

Cheshire opted to bat again to keep the pressure on Berkshire with Dobson reaching his century from 119 balls. 

With Luke Young contributing a half-century, Cheshire declared on 261 setting Berkshire an improbable 469 – 110 more than they ever scored in the fourth innings - to win. 

They lost Jonny Connell to the sixth ball of the innings and his opening partner Archie Carter plus nightwatchman Tom Nugent just before the close which they reached at 75 for three. 

Zach Lion-Cachet made his second century of the match to keep Oxfordshire on top against Devon at Exeter. 

The highly-rated Lion-Cachet followed his maiden century in the first innings with 105 which made him only the fifth Oxfordshire batter to score two centuries in a match and the first since Jonny Cater ten years ago. 

Lion-Cachet reached three figures with his third six and departed next ball, stumped off Max Shepherd having shared two 98 run partnerships for fifth and sixth wickets with Olly Clarke (48) and Jared Warner (50). 

Oxfordshire’s declaration challenged Devon to make 387 and they reduced their target by 53 for the loss of openers Elliot Hamilton and James Horler. 

Former Worcestershire and Netherlands batter Alexei Kervezee made a superb century to keep Eastern Division One leaders Buckinghamshire firmly in control against Lincolnshire at Chesham. 

Kervezee’s 145 was the highest of his five Championship centuries and he shared century partnerships for the third and fifth wickets with Alex Woodland (56) and Ross Richardson (40) respectively. 

Joe Pocklington continued to impress for Lincolnshire by following up a half-century in the first innings of his Championship debut with five wickets with his left-arm spin. 

But with Ed Bragg (40) and Cameron Parsons (25) again adding useful lower order runs, Buckinghamshire built a first innings lead of 248. 

Lincolnshire dug in second time around with Qundeel Haider making a composed half-century and Drew Sylvester 45 but they ended the day still 103 behind with six wickets left. 

Staffordshire dismissed Norfolk for 142 when play got under way on time after the first day washout at Horsford. 

Slow left-armer Tom Brett took five for 65 in 30.1 miserly overs and seamer Liam Hurt three for 18 after Staffordshire captain James Kettleborough had won the toss. 

It was hard going for Norfolk who batted 75.1 overs for their runs with seven batters reaching double figures but only Ben Wilcox topping 20. 

Staffordshire lost Kettleborough early but Zen Malik and Matthew Morris made half centuries and shared a second wicket partnership of 112. 

Both fell in successive overs from Brett Stolworthy who also had Callum Hawkins LBW for a duck before Staffordshire took the lead. 

Former Kent, Hampshire and Essex seamer Matt Coles put Eastern Division Two leaders Bedfordshire on course for a third straight win against hosts Cambridgeshire at Saffron Walden. 

Coles took five of the seven Cambridgeshire second innings wickets that fell to leave them only 47 ahead. 

Earlier Northamptonshire staff man Harry Gouldstone and Matt Taylor added half-centuries to those made by Sam Bates and Oli Soames on the first day to take Bedfordshire to 394 for nine and a lead of 162. 

Off-spinner Callum Guest took five for 105 then Cambridgeshire lost five wickets in clearing their arrears. 

Former Leicestershire batter Aadil Ali made a half-century on his National Counties debut and Alex Peirson a career-best 78 not out. 

But either side of their third wicket partnership of 113 Cambridgeshire lost two wickets for 15 runs and three for 12. 

Durham players past and present combined to rescue Northumberland against Hertfordshire at Jesmond where play eventually got underway at 12.30pm. 

Former Durham and Ireland wicketkeeper/batter Stuart Poynter made 96 and Durham batter Ross Whitfield 57 in a fourth wicket partnership of 111 which helped Northumberland recover from 27 for three to 260 all out. 

Hertfordshire’s new-ball pair Jigar Mehta (four for 63) and Jack Plom (three for 45) neatly topped and tailed the innings. 

Callum Fletcher struck twice early for Northumberland but Dominic Chatfield saw the day out on 33 not out. 

Oxford University batter George Hargrave made 115 – his highest Championship score – but Shropshire still struggled against Dorset at Wimborne in Western Division Two. 

Hargrave shared an opening stand of 76 with Ollie Westbury (41) but Shropshire were again let down by their tail with the last six wickets falling for 51 and the last four for 12. 

Seamer Ed Bartlett took a career-best six for 53 to give Dorset a first innings lead of 174 which they extended to 384 thanks to Jacob Gordon (58) and Alex Eckland (46) who set up the declaration at 210 for seven. 

Hargrave and Westbury survived seven overs before the close when Shropshire began their chase. 

Slow left-armer Max Tryfonos claimed the first ten wicket match haul of his career to help revive Cornwall’s hopes of a second straight win against Wiltshire at St Austell. 

After off-spinner Joe King had taken six for 56 to give Wiltshire a first innings lead of 82, Tryfonos took the new ball and took five for 35 to finish with match figures of ten for 104. 

Wiltshire were dismissed for 109 in 43.1 overs which left Cornwall to chase 192 on a turning pitch. 

When Cornwall were 58 for three, Wiltshire were favourites but Xavie Clarke (52) and Will MacVicar (28 not out) added 55 for the fourth wicket to reclaim the advantage. 

There was one further twist when Clarke became the 19^th wicket to fall in the day when he was bowled by Wiltshire captain Ed Young to its last ball. 

Durant Cricket National Counties Championship 

Second day of three 

Eastern Division One 

Chesham: Lincolnshire 148 (Joe Pocklington 54) & 145-4 (Qundeel Haider 64), Buckinghamshire 396 (Alexei Kervezee 145, Alex Woodland 56, Joe Pocklington 5-99). 

Horsford: Norfolk 142 (Tom Brett 5-65), Staffordshire 162-4 (Zen Malik 60, Matthew Morris 54). 

Western Division One 

Finchampstead: Cheshire 381 (Chris Sanders 80 not out, Henry Dobson 70, Joe Cooke 53, Luke Young 51) & 261-8 dec (Henry Dobson 121, Luke Young 52), Berkshire 174 (Andrew Jackson 5-60) & 75-3. 

Exeter: Oxfordshire 291 (Zach Lion-Cachet 100, Jared Warner 52 not out, Jamie Stephens 5-86) & 261-8 dec (Zach Lion-Cachet 105, Jared Warner 50), Devon 166 (James Horler 54, Max Mannering 5-58) & 53-2. 

Eastern Division Two 

Saffron Walden: Cambridgeshire 232 (Mohammed Danyaal 51 not out) & 209-7 (Alex Peirson 78 not out, Aadil Ali 61, Matt Coles 5-92), Bedfordshire 394-9 (Oli Soames 89, Sam Bates 64, Matt Taylor 64, Harry Gouldstone 61, Callum Guest 5-101). 

Jesmond: Northumberland 260 (Stuart Poynter 96, Ross Whitfield 57), Hertfordshire 64-2. 

Western Division Two 

St Austell: Wiltshire 265 (Tom Cullen 57, Jack Mynott 51, Max Tryfonos 5-69) & 109 (Max Tryfonos 5-35), Cornwall 183 (Joe King 6-56) & 133-4 (Xavie Clarke 52). 

Wimborne: Dorset 435-2 (Sam Young 217 not out, David Scott 183 not out) & 210-7 dec (Jacob Gordon 58), Shropshire 261 (George Hargrave 115, Ed Bartlett 6-53) & 35-0.