Berkshire face a must-win game against Cheshire in the NCCA Championship at Finchampstead starting next Sunday (August 6).
The holders’ first two Western Division 1 matches were drawn after being hampered by the wet weather and they have just one left after Cheshire, away to Herefordshire a week later.
In addition to Berkshire, Cheshire have still to play Devon and Oxfordshire, so Dan Lincoln’s men cannot afford to slip up next week if they hope to retain their title.
They have a good record at home against their northern rivals, winning by 211 runs in 2016, 148 in 2019 and 158 two years ago when Euan Woods hit a brilliant 122 in the second innings.
Last Sunday, Berkshire’s ‘Showcase’ match against Middlesex at the Falkland club in Newbury had to be abandoned with 36 overs completed following rain.
Put into bat, the first-class county were soon in trouble, losing three wickets for 20, but they recovered to 217-7 with Luke Hollman,who played for Berkshire in 2019, unbeaten on 78. Mungo Russell took 3-36, Woods 2-31, Rhodri Lewis 1-33 and Adam Searle 1-42.
Of the other Middlesex players who have pulled on a Berkshire shirt in the past, Martin Andersson made 31, Dan O’Driscoll two and Joe Cracknell one.
By Dave Wright
