Berkshire have been denied a place in an NCCA final by Dorset for the second time this season.
In June, they lost to them in the Trophy semi-finals by six wickets at Wargrave, and last Sunday, Dan Lincoln’s men suffered a 60-run defeat in the T20 competition’s Super-12 stage, at the same venue.
Dorset, put in to bat, posted a useful 177-6 with Joe Eckland making 51 off 35 balls and Dylan Church 48 off 37, the pair adding 99 in 11 overs for the third wicket. Ben Salter was the pick of the home bowlers with three for 36 from four overs.
Berkshire scored 28 in the first three overs, but then lost three wickets in successive overs, and never recovered. No 9 batter Andy Rishton crashed 25 off nine balls before the team’s innings ended at 117 in the 16th over.
The host county bounced back with a 45-run win over Suffolk in a 17/17 overs game, making 169-4 largely due to a sensational knock by Johnny Connell, who raced to 90 off just 44 deliveries, with five sixes and nine fours. The Henley star and Dan Lincoln, with 51 off 31 balls, put on 66 in 5.4 overs for the second wicket.
Suffolk reached 70 in eight overs for the loss of one wicket, but slumped to 124-8, with Samm Daniel taking 4-18. Dorset (133-5) also beat Suffolk (131-7) by five wickets to book their ticket to Wormsley Estate on Sunday, August 25, when the semi-finals and final will be played. Joining them are last weekend’s other group winners, Oxfordshire, Norfolk and Northumberland.
Berkshire return to the three-day Championship this coming Sunday (11am) when they host Herefordshire at the Falkland club in their final home fixture. Following two draws in rain-affected fixtures, it is a must-win game if they are to stay in with a chance of retaining the Western Division title.
Oxon currently top the table with 23 points, two more than both Berkshire and Cornwall. All eight Division One fixtures played so far have ended in draws.
