NATIONAL COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP DAY TWO REVIEW - WEEK 5

Berkshire closed in on a place in the National Counties Championship final on a rain-interrupted day against Herefordshire at the Falkland club in Newbury.

Needing a win and six bonus points to top Western Division One, Berkshire achieved the second part of their target by securing a full hand of bonus points thanks to half centuries from Andy Rishton and Charlie Dunnett which helped them to 374 for nine in their 90 overs.

That gave Berkshire a lead of 182 but they were then held up by initial resistance from Herefordshire’s Worcestershire batter Josh Dell then by a stoppage for rain.

But when the players returned, Berkshire soon made inroads with Herefordshire slipping from 41 for one to 55 for five in five overs with slow left-armer Luke Beaven taking three of the wickets.

Captain Matt Pardoe and Roshan Venkataraman saw Herefordshire to 84 for five at the close, still needing 98 to avoid an innings defeat.

Rain also disrupted play at Wimborne where former Somerset batter Sam Young made his maiden Championship century forDorset against Cheshire.

Dorset, who need to win to avoid relegation, were held up by rain which prevented play until after lunch and then by further showers.

Young and Oli Soames extended their third wicket partnership to 106 before Soames fell to Andy Dufty but Young then shared an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 100 with David Scott (49 not out).

Young was unbeaten on 125 at the close having batted for seven minutes short of three hours between the rain breaks.

Leicestershire all-rounder George Rhodes followed up his first day century with a five-wicket haul and a brisk half-century to keepSuffolk on top and on course for survival in Eastern Division One against Bedfordshire at Flitwick.

Rhodes took five of Bedfordshire’s last six wickets with his off-breaks which, despite a half-century from home captain George Thurstance, gave Suffolk a first innings lead of 122.

They extended that to 359 by making 237 for three in just 31 overs with Darren Ironside making his fourth 50-plus score in as many innings, Alex Oxley striking 72 from 51 balls and Rhodes 57 not out from 36 balls.

Rhodes ended a productive day by having his Leicestershire team-mate Sam Bates caught behind for one as Bedfordshire closed on 17 for one.

Lincolnshire will need to avoid defeat against Norfolk at Manor Park if they are to finish top of the division and qualify for next month’s final.

Lincolnshire required six bonus points at the start of the match to secure top spot but they collected only four after they added just one batting point to their three bowling points.

A win for Norfolk would now see them finish level with Lincolnshire on 59 points but they would progress to the final at West Bromwich Dartmouth by virtue of winning the head-to-head contest between the two sides.

Seamer Andy Hanby was again Lincolnshire’s tormentor as he followed up his hat-trick against them at Cleethorpes last season with a career-best eight for 53 with only Leicestershire batter Sam Evans, who was unbeaten on 82, resisting for long.

Norfolk decided not to enforce the follow-on and instead opted to build on their first innings lead of 174 which they did with Alfie Cooper following up his first innings century with 80 in their 238 for eight declared.

Hanby collected his ninth wicket of the match when he had Joe Kendall LBW at the start of Lincolnshire’s second innings.

Buckinghamshire virtually assured themselves of winning promotion from Eastern Division Two after slow left-armer Conner Haddow returned career-best figures of six for 40 against Cambridgeshire at Tring Park.

Only Lee Thomason topped 30 but Buckinghamshire captain Tom Hampton decided not to enforce the follow-on and instead unleashed Alex Woodland on Cambridgeshire’s bowlers.

Woodland followed up his opening day century with 83, Michael Payne weighed in with a half-century and Buckinghamshire’s declaration set Cambridgeshire 479 to win.

Ed Bragg took three for 12 in the final hour to leave Cambridgeshire in disarray at 19 for four.

Northumberland coach Dan Shurben gave his young players a batting masterclass against Hertfordshire at Hertford.

Shurben, playing only his second Championship match in ten years, opened the batting and made 82 in two-and-a-half hours.

Teenage prospect Bobby Green made 44 in his second Championship appearance which restricted Hertfordshire’s first innings lead to 55.

Hertfordshire’s second innings featured half-centuries from relatives of former England Test captains.

Josh de Caires, son of Mike Atherton, completed his second half-century of the match and was unbeaten on 80 at the close, while Reece Hussain, nephew of Nasser, made 56.

Devon tightened their grip on the Western Division Two title and promotion after Gloucestershire Academy slow left-armer Max Shepherd took five first innings wickets against Wiltshire at Sidmouth.

Morning rain frustrated Devon who then had to overcome resistance led by Jack Stearman’s half-century.

But Shepherd snared Stearman, bowled, and Josh Croom, LBW, in the space of three balls and Wiltshire were dismissed for 225 and made to follow-on 177 in arrears.

Shepherd struck again just before the close when he dismissed his Gloucestershire team-mate Ollie Meadows.

Rain washed out the second day at Truro which meant frustration for Wales NC who had reduced Cornwall to 69 for five in search of the win they need to have any chance of overhauling Devon.

National Counties Championship

(Second day of three)

Eastern Division One

Flitwick: Suffolk 378-4 (Darren Ironside 152, George Rhodes 148) & 237-3 dec (Darren Ironside 76, Alex Oxley 72, George Rhodes 57 not out), Bedfordshire 256 (George Thurstance 75, George Rhodes 5-36) & 17-1.

Manor Park: Norfolk 358-7 (Alfie Cooper 125, Freddie Fairey 61) & 238-8 dec (Alfie Cooper 80), Lincolnshire 184 (Sam Evans 82 not out, Andy Hanby 8-53) & 25-1.

Western Division One

Falkland: Herefordshire 192 & 84-5, Berkshire 374-9 (Imran Malik 73, Charlie Dunnett 67, Andy Rishton 50).

Wimborne: Cheshire 385-8 (Nick Anderson 88 not out, Rob Sehmi 73, Ali Chughtai 64), Dorset 211-3 (Sam Young 125 not out).

Eastern Division Two

Tring Park: Buckinghamshire 386 (Alex Woodland 111, Michael Wells 64) & 245-5 dec (Alex Woodland 83, Michael Payne 72 not out), Cambridgeshire 153 (Conner Haddow 6-40) & 19-4.

Hertford: Hertfordshire 330 (Kishen Velani 93, Josh de Caires 78) & 194-2 (Josh de Caires 80 not out, Reece Hussain 56),Northumberland 275 (Dan Shurben 82).

Western Division Two

Truro: Wales NC 298 (Connor Brown 133, Andrew Libby 6-81) Cornwall 69-5. No play Tuesday – rain.

Sidmouth: Devon 402 (Matt Thompson 128, Calum Haggett 98, Elliot Hamilton 84, Jack Mynott 5-67), Wiltshire 225 (Max Shepherd 5-32) & 9-1.