NATIONAL COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW - WEEK 2 - DAY 3

Oxfordshire made it two wins in a week in an impressive start to their defence of the National Counties Championship as they beat Herefordshire by nine wickets in their Western Division One match at Thame. 

It was all over before lunch on the final day after off-spinner Max Mannering took his second five wicket haul of the season to help dismiss Herefordshire for 210 in their second innings. 

Almost half of those runs came in a third wicket partnership of 98 between Nick Hammond and Olly Walker, who both made half centuries. 

There was little resistance from the tail, with the last five wickets going down for 28, which left Oxfordshire requiring only 48 for victory, a target they reached for the loss of opener Ollie Ebsworth-Burland. 

Berkshire, whose hopes of a fifth straight Championship title were scuppered by a defeat by Oxfordshire last season, made an impressive start to their three-day campaign by routing Dorset by 319 runs at Wimborne. 

Dorset were shot out for 111 in their second innings, and this after openers Oli Soames (42) and debutant Will Tripcony had started with a partnership of 67. 

Leg-spinners Rhodri Lewis and Jafer Chohan shared six wickets between them with only Charlie Gwynn (32) threatening to delay Berkshire for long. 

Norfolk also began their Championship season with a thumping 286 runs win over Suffolk, last season’s beaten finalists, at Woolpit in Eastern Division One. 

Leicestershire all-rounder George Rhoes marshalled Suffolk’s resistance with 45 on his debut for the county with Ben Parker (41), coach Andy Northcote (39) and Adam Mansfield (21) making Norfolk wait until after lunch before they wrapped up a maximum points win. 

Slow left-armer Ryan Findlay finished with five for 76 which included four of the five wickets to fall on the final day. 

Michael Hill became only the fifth Staffordshire batter to score two centuries in a match in the draw with Lincolnshire at Cleethorpes. 

Hill joined Phil Oliver – now Staffordshire’s chairman – Ross Salmon, Keith Bell – the brother of former England batsman Ian – and Kadeer Ali, who performed the feat twice, in an exclusive club. 

Hill followed up his 104 in Staffordshire’s first innings with 110 in the second to help set up a declaration that challenged Lincolnshire to make 351. 

With both teams having won their first match, Lincolnshire were not tempted and were happy to bat out time, reaching 196 for five from 72 overs. 

Nic Keast batted two-and-a-half hours for 49 not out to blunt Staffordshire’s attack. 

In Eastern Division Two Cumbria and Hertfordshire both fought brave rearguard actions but were beaten by Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire respectively. 

At Barrow Matt Sempill made a maiden Championship century and Drew Postlethwaite his first half-century for Cumbria. 

The pair shared an eighth wicket partnership of 98 which and Cumbria got to within 35 of their victory target of 359. 

But Callum Guest was Cambridgeshire’s match-winner with the off-spinner taking his first five wicket haul in the Championship and finishing with six for 99 from 35.4 overs as Cambridgeshire won by runs. 

At Bishop’s Stortford, Charlie Scott made his second half-century of the match and Mohammed Rizvi his first on debut for Hertfordshire. 

The pair added 111 for the fifth wicket and there was further resistance down the order from Cole Seggery (25) and Ben Waring (27) which ensured that Hertfordshire avoided an innings defeat. 

Hertfordshire’s second innings spanned almost 104 overs but Buckinghamshire were left needing only 25 for victory and they coasted home without losing a wicket. 

National Counties Championship 

(Final day of three) 

Eastern Division One 

Cleethorpes: Staffordshire 326-8 dec (Michael Hill 104, Alex Mellor 57) & 306-5 dec (Michael Hill 110, Matthew Morris 53, Peter Wilshaw 50), Lincolnshire 282 (Jordan Cook 71 not out) & 196-5. Lincolnshire (10pts) drew with Staffordshire (12pts). 

Woolpit: Norfolk 401-6 (Alfie Cooper 126, Sam Arthurton 85, Freddie Fairey 59, Tom New 56) & 224-0 (Sam Arthurton 113 not out, Ethan Metcalf 106 not out), Suffolk 125 (Brett Stolworthy 5-25) & 214 (Ryan Findlay 5-76). Norfolk (24pts) beat Suffolk (2pts) by 286 runs. 

Western Division One 

Wimborne: Berkshire 403-9 (Savin Perera 112, Tom Scriven 110) & 206-3 dec (Tom Scriven 51 not out, Dan Lincoln 50 not out, Euan Woods 50), Dorset 179 (Rhodri Lewis 5-43) & 111. Berkshire (24pts) beat Dorset (5pts) by 319 runs. 

Thame: Herefordshire 143 & 210 (Olly Walker 60, Nick Hammond 53, Maz Mannering 5-61), Oxfordshire 306-7 (Luke Maslen 108 not out, Ollie Currill 53) & 51-1. Oxfordshire (23pts) beat Herefordshire (3pts) by nine wickets. 

Eastern Division Two 

Barrow: Cambridgeshire 176 (Joe Tetley 54, Callum Guest 52, Matt Siddall 5-35) & 280 (Joe Tetley 69, Alex Peirson 50, Matt Siddall 5-130), Cumbria 98 & 324 (Matt Sempill128, Drew Postlethwaite 58). Cambridgeshire (21pts) beat Cumbria (4pts) by 34 runs. 

Bishop’s Stortford: Buckinghamshire 446-8 (Alexei Kervezee 107, Ross Richardson 105 not out, Aadi Sharma 96, Cameron Parsons 50) & 26-0, Hertfordshire 236 (Charlie Scott 91) & 235 (Charlie Scott 57, Mohammed Rizvi 54). Buckinghamshire (24pts) beat Hertfordshire (5pts) by ten wickets.