Berkshire CCC fight back to earn memorable victory over Cheshire CCC

Berkshire’s Tom Nugent.

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BERKSHIRE CCC

Berkshire held their nerve to defeat Cheshire by three wickets on Tuesday and move closer to retaining their Western Division title.

They have now won all five of their championship games but had to dig deep to maintain that run at Chester Boughton Hall.

The defending champions restricted their hosts to 254-9 in their first innings, having had them in even bigger trouble at 194-8. 

Berkshire, however, then produced their worst batting performance of the season, managing only 148.

They were 63-6 before Stewart Davison (34), Tom Nugent (22) and Chris Peploe (16) managed to make the total slightly more respectable.

Slow left-arrmer Danny Woods took the Cheshire bowling honours with 5-39 off 22.3 overs.

Not used to trailing on first-innings scores, Berkshire were incredibly fired up when they returned to the field - none more so than Nugent.

The Henley paceman ripped into the Cheshire batting with such ferocity that wickets soon started to tumble and they were skittled for just 99, the last five wickets falling for a mere five runs, with Nugent claiming career-best figures of 18.2-6-38-7. 

Once again, the fielding and catching was of the class of champions with keeper Stewart Davison accepting four catches, three of them off Nugent.

Other highlights included Ali Raja running in from long leg before diving forward to take a catch just inches above the ground, while Peploe snapped up a smart low catch at second slip and Richard Morris leaping skywards at square leg to take a brilliant high catch to end the Cheshire innings.

So Berkshire were left needing 206 to win, and by close of play on Monday had moved on to 88-2 with the loss of Andy Rishton (4) and Archie Carter (34).

On the final morning, James Morris and night-watchman Alex Russell lifted the total to 125 before the latter was bowled for 19.

James Morris continued to bat nicely along with brother Richard until being trapped lbw for 63, having faced 114 balls.

It was the second highest score in the match, only being bettered by Rick Moore's 68 for the hosts on Sunday.

Dan Lincoln hit a quickfire 15 and debutant Joe Cracknell four, leaving Berkshire 175-6.

Richard Morris and Davison moved the total on to 204, when the former was stumped for 38, leaving Peploe to strike the winning boundary, back over the bowler's head, to take Berkshire to 208-7 in the 54th over.

They will now be looking to complete their Western Division fixtures with a 100 per cent record when they take on Dorset at North Perrott CC on September 2-4.

They need a maximum of 10 points to retain the title.

Before that, Berkshire and Cheshire could meet again this Sunday at the Wormsley ground near Stokenchurch as both are through to the semi-finals of the MCCA's new T20 competition - taking on Devon and Norfolk respectively, with the games at 10am and 1pm.

The final is scheduled for 4pm.

Match summary:

Cheshire 1st innings: 254-9 (Moore 68, Normanton 55no; Peploe 3-79).

Berkshire 1st innings: 148 (Davison 34; Woods 5-39).

Cheshire 2nd innings: 99 (Moore 30; Nugent 7-38).

Berkshire 2nd innings: 208-7 (J. Morris 63, R Morris 38; Woods 4-49).

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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE CCC
Garry Park scored probably the fastest ever century in Buckinghamshire's long history in their exciting three-wicket victory over Staffordshire at Longton.

Park slammed 100 not out off just 50 balls, striking 10 sixes, as Bucks secured their third Eastern Division win of the summer in the Unicorns Counties Championship.

A Bucks win did not look likely on the first day, when Staffordshire made 361 all out after being put into bat.

This was despite fine bowling from High Wycombe seamer Jonathan Burden, who took 5-96 from 22 overs.

Bucks' reply was based on an opening stand of 160 between AJ Woodland (61) and Masoor Khan, who scored a splendid 133 from 229 balls with a six and 12 fours.

However his innings was overshadowed by Park's spectacular knock.

He dominated an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 141 with Michael Payne (57no) as the visitors reached 396-3 - a first innings lead of 35.

A fine spell from Chesham off-spinner Matt Rance, who took 4-17 from nine overs, helped reduce Staffs from 118-2 to 213 all out in their second innings. 

This left Bucks needing 179 for victory.

At 40-3, the result was in doubt.

But the first-innings centurions Khan and Park (40) added 82, and Khan was still there on 75 not out as Bucks crossed the line with seven wickets down.

The victory puts Bucks fifth in the table but only 12 points behind leaders Lincolnshire with one game to play - against Hertfordshire at Tring Park, starting on Sunday, September 2.

Match summary:

Staffs 361 (89.2 ovs, D Brierley 70no, T Maxfield 58, K Ali 56, S Kelsall 43, J Burden 5-96) & 213 (52.3 ovs, S Kelsall 72, M Rance 4-17); Bucks 396-3 (90 ovs, M Khan 133,G Park 100no, A Woodland 61) & 183-7 (66.4 ovs, M Khan 75no, G Park 40).