Ncca Cluberly Championship: Week 3 - Day One Review

Berkshire, the defending Cluberly Championship Western Division champions, had a chastening and challenging opening day against Herefordshire at the Falkland club in Newbury.

Berkshire, who are going through a transitional period, lost all-rounder Euan Woods on the eve of the match with a broken finger sustained playing club cricket on Saturday and then saw former Middlesex seamer Toby Greatwood pull up midway through his third over with a recurrence of a shoulder injury.

Although off-spinner Adam Searle led a depleted and inexperienced attack by taking a career-best seven for 134, Herefordshire still piled up 397 and then reduced Berkshire to 74 for five with slow left-armer Taylor Cornall taking four for nine on a pitch already taking spin.

Herefordshire, who have not beaten Berkshire since 2014, took control with an opening stand of 160 – their highest for any wicket against Berkshire – between captain Matt Pardoe (80) and Ben Chapman-Lilley (86) after Pardoe had won the toss.

Searle snared both openers but Luke Powell ensured that Herefordshire did not lose momentum by striking 11 fours and two sixes in a brisk and entertaining 96 before he was caught behind off slow left-armer Eddie Campion.

Berkshire’s reply began soundly enough but they unravelled against former Worcestershire all-rounder Cornall who had Charlie Dunnett and Connor Lamsdale LBW in successive balls and then had Jonny Connell taken at slip off the final ball of the day for an attacking 47.

Spinners also prospered in the other Western Division One match at Cornwood where Devon slow left-armer Sam Read and off-spinner Jamie Stephens shared eight wickets to dismiss Cornwall for 286.

Grampound Road’s Tom Orpe made 43 on his county debut which was one of five 30-plus scores in Cornwall’s first with Will MacVicar and Jake Rowe, who shared an eight wicket partnership of 73, finishing as joint-top scorers with 46.

Seamer Ben Ellis sent back James Horler and Matt Thompson early as Devon ended the day on 28 for two.

Suffolk captain Jack Beaumont made a Championship-best 154 against defending Eastern Division champions Staffordshire at Copdock.

Suffolk lost Nico Boje and Ollie Burle early to Sam Atkinson but Beaumont saw them to 338 for nine by batting for all but the last ten overs of their innings. He struck 20 fours and two sixes before he was bowled by Tom Brett, one of three wickets for the left-arm spinner.

Beaumont shared a seventh wicket partnership of 75 with 17-year-old Ishaan Rakesh who impressed on his debut as his home club ground with 69 from 77 balls.

Staffordshire openers James Kettleborough (42 not out) and Matt Morris (25 not out) reduced the deficit by 67 at the close.

There was also a career-best for Cambridgeshire’s Alex Peirson against Buckinghamshire at Chesham in the other Eastern Division One match.

Peirson’s 122 came from just 130 balls and included six sixes and 12 fours and, with 71 from Callum Guest, it took Cambridgeshire to 367 for nine.

Slow left-armer Conner Haddow took all but three of the wickets before Buckinghamshire closed on 59 for the loss of Cam Hemp.

Northumberland pair Alasdair Appleby and John Oswell broke the county’s sixth wicket partnership record against Hertfordshire at South Northumberland in Eastern Division Two.

The pair added 206 in 36 overs to take Northumberland, who were 147 for five when they came together, to 369 all out. Their partnership beat the county’s previous sixth wicket record of 188 held by Adam Curry and Tom Cant against Bedfordshire at Jesmond in 2013.

Oswell struck 14 fours and four sixes in his 119-ball 120 with Appleby’s 100 from 124 balls containing ten fours and two sixes.

There were useful contributions higher up the order from two former Durham batters with Sol Bell making 50 on his first Northumberland appearance in three years and Jonny Bushnell 55.

Oswell and Appleby’s partnership overshadowed a five wicket haul from Hertfordshire’s Callum Scott, who was also making his first county appearance in three years and only his second in the Championship.

Northumberland pressed home their advantage in the final session with Oswell’s younger brother Matt taking three for 29 to reduce Hertfordshire to 44 for six.

The first day honours were shared at Flitwick where Archie Houghton’s 67 helped Bedfordshire rally from 131 for six to reach 263 all out against Norfolk.

There were four wickets for Callum Metcalf before Norfolk captain Sam Arthurton led his side’s reply with 64 not out in their 104 for three.

Wales NC were shot out for 166 after they had opted to bat first against Cheshire at Abergavenny in Western Division Two and then saw the visitors build a handy lead by the close,

Dan Wilson led a solid team bowling performance from Cheshire with three for 28 with the new ball pair of Andy Jackson and Henry Dobson sharing four wickets each.

Captain Cameron Herring was the only batter to reach 30 in a Wales total that was quickly made to look inadequate as Henry Murray (41) and Ryan O’Brien (74) replied with an opening partnership of 97.

Luke McCoy (59 not out) and David Wainwright (37 not out) then added 75 in an unbroken sixth wicket partnership as Cheshire closed on 239 for five, a lead of 73.

Half-centuries from Josh Kelly (72), captain Ed Young (64) and Charan Chahal, 53 on his Championship debut, took Wiltshire to 369 all out against Dorset at Corsham.

Former Wiltshire opener Dylan Church then went first ball to Chris Aubrey but Dorset recovered well with captain Luke Webb and Joe Eckland (40 not out) adding 73 in an unbroken second wicket partnership.

NCCA Cluberly Championship

First day of three

Eastern Division One

Chesham: Cambridgeshire 367-9 (Alex Peirson 122, Callum Guest 71, Conner Haddow 6-120), Buckinghamshire 59-1.

Copdock: Suffolk 338-9 (Jack Beaumont 154, Ishaan Rakesh 69, Jake Garlick 4-48), Staffordshire 67-0.

Western Division One

Falkland CC: Herefordshire 397 (Luke Powell 96, Ben Chapman-Lilley 86, Matt Pardoe 78, Adam Searle 7-134), Berkshire 74-5 (Jonny Connell 47, Taylor Cornall 4-9)

Cornwood: Cornwall 286 (Jamie Stephens 4-46, Sam Read 4-82), Devon 28-2.

Eastern Division Two

Flitwick: Bedfordshire 263 (Archie Houghton 67, Callum Metcalf 4-60), Norfolk 104-3 (Sam Arthurton 64 not out).

South Northumberland CC: Northumberland 369 (John Oswell 120, Alasdair Appleby 100, Jonny Bushnell 55, Sol Bell 50, Callum Scott 5-64, Callum Taylor 4-115), Hertfordshire 44-6.

Western Division Two

Abergavenney: Wales NC 166, Cheshire 239-5 (Ryan O’Brien 74, Luke McCoy 59 not out).

Corsham: Wiltshire 369 (Josh Kelly 72, Ed Young 64, Charan Chahal 53, Connor Smith 4-83), Dorset 73-1.

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