National Counties Championship Final 2022 Day Three Review

Berkshire closed in on the National Counties Championship title on a short but significant third day of the final against Lincolnshire at West Bromwich Dartmouth.

Only 90 minutes’ play was possible at the very end of the day but that was sufficient time for Euan Woods to complete his fifth Championship century and to help Berkshire overtake Lincolnshire’s first innings 176.

If the match is drawn, the first innings lead will secure a fifth Championship in six seasons for Berkshire.

Lincolnshire now need to win the match to deny Berkshire the title but, with only 105.2 of a possible 330 overs bowled over the first three days, that looks a tall order.

Once again it required a herculean effort by the groundstaff to get the ground fit for any play after another night of heavy rain and the day began - belatedly - with Berkshire needing 35 runs to gain a first innings lead and Lincolnshire requiring four wickets to deny them.

Woods got Berkshire to their first target with consecutive fours off Mark Footitt to cheers from the rest of the squad and their large travelling support.

With excellent support from Dan O’Driscoll, Woods extended Berkshire’s lead to 74 before Woods drove Ben Wright to extra cover in the penultimate over having batted almost four hours for his 129.

Woods and O’Driscoll added 117 for the seventh wicket and O’Driscoll was there at the close unbeaten on 44 having made just 12 runs in his previous three innings in the competition.

National Counties Championship final

Third day of four

West Bromwich Dartmouth: Lincolnshire 176 (Tom Nugent 6-66), Berkshire 255-7 (Euan Woods 129).