Berkshire made a winning start to their National Counties Championship Western Division One campaign by defeating Oxfordshire by five wickets at the Falkland club this week.
They were indebted to Toby Greatwood, who recorded a century in the first innings and a half-century in the second without being dismissed. And, remarkably, he was following up his unbeaten run-a-ball 111 for Wargrave at Thame on Saturday.
As the former Middlesex seamer was nursing a shoulder injury, he didn’t bowl against Oxon, but was used as a specialist batter with Berkshire deciding to rest Johnny Connell and Charlie Dunnett.
The visitors posted 279 on Sunday with Luke Hayes scoring 99 not out, and looked to be heading for a first-innings lead when they reduced Berks to 132-7. But Greatwood changed all that with his maiden Championship century, making 158 off 214 balls, including four sixes and 18 fours. He and Henley’s Samm Daniel (30) added 54 for the eighth wicket. After the ninth wicket had fallen at 214, there was an incredible last-wicket stand with Greatwood and debutant Abdullah Iqbal adding 94, of which the latter contributed just two runs from 61 balls.
Berkshire’s highest ever 10th-wicket stand in a match against Oxfordshire took them to 308, a lead of 29.
The visitors were dismissed for 233 in their second innings, with Luke Maslen making 95 before being caught at long-off by skipper Andy Rishton off the bowling of Rhys Lewis.
Lewis finished with 3-9 and fellow spinners Daniel 3-50 and Euan Woods 2-40.
This left Berkshire needing 205 to win. They slipped to 37-3, but Woods put his side on the victory trail, adding 53 with Eddie Campion (22) and a further 74 with Greatwood.
Wargrave stalwart Woods was bowled for 70 (165-5), leaving Greatwood and club colleague Andrew MacEwen (26 not out) to steer their side home. Man-of-the-match Greatwood hit Maslen for six to secure the 23-point win whilst taking his own score to 55 and an incredible 213 runs for the match.
Berkshire take on Cheshire in the National Counties Trophy final at Copdock & Old Ipswichian CC in Suffolk on Sunday (11am).
Admission to the venue, which is situated just outside Ipswich, is £14, but free for children under 16.
Report by Dave Wright
