Dan Lincoln led Berkshire to a comfortable six-wicket win over Middlesex in an amazing match at the Falkland club in Newbury.
The skipper was in sensational form, scoring an incredible century off just 50 balls, while Johnny Connell blasted 150 not out.
Former Finchampstead player Lincoln went on to make 123 of 65 balls and the Slough star shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 189 with Henley teenager Connell, the pair lifting the total from 143-3 to 332 in 19 overs.
Berkshire sailed to their target of 351 with more than nine overs to spare. Yes, it came against Middlesex 2nd XI but that should not detract from Berkshire’s amazing performance which will surely have Dorset shaking in their boots ahead of the NCCA Trophy semi-final at Finchampstead next Sunday (August 7).
Berkshire did well to restrict Middlesex to 350 as the visitors had 200 runs on the board at the halfway stage of this 50/50 game with only two wickets down.
Joe Cracknell, who made three appearances for Berkshire in 2018, and Jack Davies, who has played more regularly for the Royal county, were at times going along at more than 10 runs an over as they added 153 for the third wicket in 16 overs.
The partnership ended when Davies, who had scored 152 for Henley against Slough on Saturday, was caught by Henley skipper Tom Nugent off the bowling of Jafer Chohan for 74 which came off 50 balls.
His dismissal triggered off a collapse with Middlesex losing four wickets in quick succession including that of Cracknell for a superbly-entertaining 147 from 94 balls.
He hit 17 fours and five sixes before being caught by Charlie Dunnett off the bowling of Josh Lincoln, who three balls earlier had taken a return catch to dismiss former Reading star Martin Andersson for five.
Middlesex slumped from 257-2 to 289-7, but Thilan Walallawita (27) and Dan O’Driscoll (22) helped them to reach an all-out 350 in the 45th over.
Mungo Russell was the most successful of the Berkshire bowlers with 3-63 off 9.3 overs, while Josh Lincoln, who has recently switched clubs from Slough to Wargrave, took 2-23 and Euan Woods 2-40, the latter’s second victim being his Wargrave team-mate Toby Greatwood.
