National Counties Championship Final 2022 Day Two Review

Euan Woods came to Berkshire’s rescue on a tense but rain-blighted second day of the National Counties Championship final against Lincolnshire at West Bromwich Dartmouth.

The former England Under-19s left-hander kept his head while those around him were losing theirs to keep alive Berkshire’ hopes of winning the competition for the fifth time in six seasons.

Woods made 63 not out, the first half-century of the match, as Berkshire reached 142 for six in the 41.2 overs that were possible after a delayed start following heavy rain overnight and further showers.

With the equivalent of more than a day’s play already lost to rain and with more forecast for the next two days it seems increasingly likely that the final will be drawn, in which event the Championship will be decided on first innings lead.

Berkshire still need 35 runs to overtake Lincolnshire’s 176 which is no easy task against an attack spearheaded by former Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Surrey left-arm quick Mark Footitt.

Should the scores be level at the end of the first innings and the match drawn the title will be shared.

It was only thanks to hard work by the groundstaff, who spent two hours removing water from the covers after a thunderstorm hit the Black Country in the early hours of the morning, that play got underway after a delay of only 75 minutes.

Footitt’s radar was occasionally on the blink but his opening spell was testing and he snared both openers with Archie Carter caught in the gully and Imran Malik taken behind down the legside.

Berkshire looked comfortable enough when they reached lunch at 94 for two but the innings unravelled after the interval.

Charlie Dunnett was bowled by one that nipped back from Dan Freeman, captain Dan Lincoln went for a fourth ball duck flailing at Nic Keast’s off-spin and Andy Rishton - after a breezy cameo - and Rhodri Lewis departed to successive balls from Curtis Free.

At the other end, Woods played with composure and fluency and reached his half-century from 80 balls with nine fours.

Woods added two more boundaries from 25 balls before the weather closed in.

National Counties Championship final

Second day of four

West Bromwich Dartmouth: Lincolnshire 176 (Tom Nugent 6-66), Berkshire 142-6 (Euan Woods 63 not out).