Berkshire have once again shown why they are the undisputed knock-out kings of National Counties cricket.
The defending champions were on the ropes more than once before their resilience and individual skills saw them fight back and secure a 29-run victory after setting Cumbria a target of 196 in an absorbing Trophy final at Wormsley on Sunday.
Watched by a crowd of close to 700, the game demonstrated Berkshire’s strength in depth as they overcame challenging situations and produced something special when Cumbria appeared to hold the upper hand.
This was their fourth successive win over the same county and their fifth trophy victory in seven seasons, the competition having been cancelled in 2020 due to Covid. But they were forced to pull out all the stops as Cumbria threatened to end Berkshire’s remarkable run in this 50/50 overs competition.
Put in to bat, the Trophy holders were soon in trouble with the first four wickets falling for just 29 runs, and when Dan Lincoln (15) and Andy Rishton (0) were dismissed off successive balls, it was 56-6 after 22 overs.
But, like many times before, there was no sign of panic in the Berkshire camp, as they still had batters to come who were more than capable of repairing the early damage.
Up stepped Archie Carter and Rhodri Lewis, the pair adding 79 for the seventh wicket before both fell in quick succession. Lewis was caught for 26 and Carter was run out for an excellent 61 (off 98 balls), leaving Berks 136-8 in the 40th over.
A late flurry of runs followed from Toby Greatwood, with 26, and Tom Nugent, 32, taking the final total to a respectable 195-8, the latter finishing off the innings with a four and two sixes.
As skipper Lincoln later revealed, it was 40 runs short of what his team was originally targetting.
Cumbria made a steady start to their reply, only to slip from 62-1 to 77-4, leaving the game evenly poised, but it swung back in the northern county’s favour with JJ Fielding (43) and Matt Semphill (34) lifting the total to 146 by the 35th over.
Lewis trapped Fielding leg before but Berkshire still needed something special to regain the initiative – and it was Rishton’s turn to provide it. He sensationally ran out Nico Watt with a direct throw from close to 40 yards, and the Wokingham allrounder proved that was no fluke by ending Semphill’s innings with another accurate throw at the stumps from a difficult angle.
Lewis then took two return catches off his own bowling, either side of Lincoln making a sharp stumping to give Luke Beaven his third wicket of the game.
Cumbria cracked under pressure, losing their last six wickets for 20 runs in 11 overs against tight bowling and outstanding fielding, leaving them 166 all out in the 46th over.
Beaven finished with 3-32, Lewis 3-19, Rishton 1-19 and Greatwood 1-30.
Berkshire team: Johnny Connell (Henley), Archie Carter (Henley), Euan Woods (Wargrave), Jack Davies (Henley), Savin Perera (Attenborough), Dan Lincoln (Wargrave), Andy Rishton (Wokingham), Rhodri Lewis (St Fagans), Toby Greatwood (Wargrave), Tom Nugent (Henley), Luke Beaven (Reading).
By Dave Wright
