Berkshire Finish Championship Campaign With Convincing Victory at Herefordshire
Berkshire Cricket ended their NCCA Cluberly Western Division 1 campaign in emphatic fashion as they secured a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Herefordshire at Eastnor Cricket Club.
The victory brought Berkshire’s Championship season to a strong conclusion, with the side collecting 24 points from the match – 16 game points, four batting points and four bowling points.
Berkshire won the toss and were asked to field first, and the bowlers responded immediately. Herefordshire were bowled out for just 138 in 32.5 overs, with captain Luke Tulacz the only batter to offer sustained resistance as he finished unbeaten on 60.
Andy Rishton led the Berkshire attack with three wickets for 35, while Lewis Sharp also claimed three for 26. Charlie Dunnett, Samm Daniel and Euan Woods all took a wicket apiece as Berkshire made regular inroads into the Herefordshire batting line-up.
Tulacz’s unbeaten 60, which included 10 fours and a six, ensured Herefordshire reached 138, but Berkshire had established a strong position by the end of the first innings.
Isbell leads Berkshire response
Berkshire’s reply was built around a magnificent innings from James Isbell, who produced his maiden NCCA Championship century and went on to make a superb 151 from 177 balls.
Isbell struck 24 fours and two sixes during an innings that dominated the Berkshire response. He shared an important third-wicket partnership with Charlie Dunnett, who contributed a fluent 52 from 79 balls, including 11 fours.
The pair added 111 together to put Berkshire firmly in control.
Isbell eventually fell with the score on 271, but valuable contributions throughout the lower order took Berkshire to 327 all out from 70.2 overs, giving them a first-innings lead of 189 runs.
Will Hamilton remained unbeaten on 35, while Toby Greatwood added 16 and Samm Daniel 16.
Herefordshire’s Roshan Venkataraman was the pick of their attack, taking four wickets for 84, while James B Cox and Tom Barker claimed two wickets apiece.
Rishton completes five-wicket haul
Facing a huge deficit, Herefordshire needed a substantial improvement in their second innings and they showed considerably more resilience.
Henry Hardinges led the way with 64 from 100 balls, while Luke Tulacz again made a significant contribution, scoring 65. Ollie Cox provided a rapid 31 from just 17 balls, including four fours and two sixes, while George Hallam also made 31.
However, Berkshire’s attack continued to chip away at the Herefordshire batting order.
Rishton was outstanding, finishing with five wickets for 60 runs from 16 overs, completing a tenacious match with the ball. He had already taken three wickets in the first innings and finished the game with eight wickets.
Lewis Sharp, Will Hamilton, Euan Woods, Samm Daniel and Eddie Campion also took wickets as Herefordshire were eventually dismissed for 234 in 61.2 overs.
That left Berkshire needing only 46 runs for victory.
Comfortable finish
There was little drama in Berkshire’s second innings as Euan Woods and Charlie Dunnett guided the visitors home.
James Isbell made a quick 18 from 11 balls before falling, while Rhys Lewis added 14 from eight. Woods remained unbeaten on five and Dunnett on 11 as Berkshire reached 49 for two in just 7.1 overs to complete an eight-wicket victory.
The result saw Berkshire take the maximum 24 points, while Herefordshire collected four bowling points.
Strong finish to Western Division campaign
The victory was an excellent response to Berkshire’s defeat against Wiltshire at Henley in the previous round. Wiltshire had inflicted only Berkshire’s third Championship defeat in 12 years, leaving Berkshire needing a strong finish at Eastnor.
Berkshire’s final points tally placed them second in the Western Division 1 table with 66 points, behind champions Devon on 81. Wiltshire finished third on 56, with Oxfordshire also on 56, while Herefordshire ended the campaign fifth on 21 points.
The title had effectively become a contest between Devon and Wiltshire going into the final round, with Berkshire’s mathematical chances having been dependent on a combination of results.
Although Berkshire ultimately finished runners-up, the campaign included a five-wicket victory over Oxfordshire, a valuable draw against eventual champions Devon and a maximum-point victory in their final match.
The Eastnor victory therefore provided a fitting conclusion to a competitive Championship campaign, with Isbell’s outstanding 151 and Rishton’s eight-wicket match haul the standout individual performances in a comprehensive Berkshire win.
Berkshire Cricket would like to thank everyone who supported the team throughout the Championship season, both home and away, for their continued encouragement. Thanks also go to Eastnor Cricket Club for hosting the fixture and for their hospitality throughout the match.
VIEW THE FULL MATCH SCORECARD HERE