COUNTIES CRICKET Devon promoted, Dorset relegated
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, 24 August 2022 05:54
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 August 2022 07:56
- Published on Wednesday, 24 August 2022 05:54
- Written by PAUL BOLTON National Counties Cricket correspondent
Lincolnshire and Berkshire will meet in the National Counties Championship at West Bromwich Dartmouth from September 4 to 7 having finished top of their respective divisions in contrasting fashion on the last day of the regular season.While Berkshire eased to an innings and 20 runs victory over Herefordshire before lunch at the Falkland club in Newbury, Lincolnshire had to fight a day-long rear-guard action to deny Norfolk victory at Manor Park.
Berkshire remain on course for their fifth title in six seasons
Having suffered a heavy defeat against Cheshire last week, Berkshire went into the final round second in the table but with the advantage of knowing exactly what they needed to do to overtake Oxfordshire who sat out the final round of matches.
Berkshire produced a ruthlessly efficient performance to wrap up victory with more than two sessions to spare with Herefordshire losing their last four wickets for three runs.
Slow left-armer Luke Beaven (five for 57) and off-spinner Max Uttley (four for 25) exploited a turning pitch to run through Herefordshire with only Roshan Venkataraman (49 not out) offering any prolonged resistance.
Despite their defeat at Falkland, Herefordshire kept their place in Western Division One with Dorset suffering relegation after they drew with Cheshire in a rain-affected contest at Wimborne.
A maiden century in only his second Championship match from all-rounder David Scott helped Dorset to reach 357 for nine declared in an innings that spanned three days.
But by that time there was no chance of them being able to manoeuvre themselves into position from which they could win, which they needed to do to overtake Herefordshire.
Instead, Cheshire were happy to bat out time for a draw which also secured their place in the top flight next season.
Henry Dobson and Rob Sehmi shared a third wicket partnership of 101 and the sides shook hands with Cheshire 183 for four in their second innings.
Devon will take Dorset’s place after they won Western Division Two by beating Wiltshire by 78 runs at Sidmouth.
Gloucestershire Academy slow left-armer Max Shepherd followed up his five wickets in the first innings with eight for 40 to dismiss Wiltshire for 99.
Shepherd finished with match figures of 13 for 72 with only Wiltshire captain Ed Young (34) resisting for long.
Devon’s win ended the promotion hopes of Wales who drew with Cornwall at Truro.
Cornwall recovered from 62 for five to 226 all out in their first innings after Monday’s washout with Ellis Whiteford making an unbeaten half-century and Paul Smith (47) and Dan Lello (35) also making valuable runs down the order.
Cameron Herring and George Pritchard made half-centuries in Wales’ second innings with Cornwall slow left-armer Andrew Libby taking four for 84 to finish with match figures of ten for 165.
Cornwall’s ten-point haul against Wales enabled them to move off the foot of the table, leaving Shropshire as Western Division wooden spoonists.
National Counties Championship
(Final day of three)
Eastern Division One
Flitwick: Suffolk 378-4 (Darren Ironside 152, George Rhodes 148) & 237-3 dec (Darren Ironside 76, Alex Oxley 72, George Rhodes 57 not out), Bedfordshire 256 (George Thurstance 75, George Rhodes 5-36) & 223 (Alex Evans 52, Josh Cantrell 6-45). Suffolk (24pts) beat Bedfordshire (3pts) by 136 runs.
Manor Park: Norfolk 358-7 (Alfie Cooper 125, Freddie Fairey 61) & 238-8 dec (Alfie Cooper 80), Lincolnshire 184 (Sam Evans 82 not out, Andy Hanby 8-53) & 304-8 (Tom Keast 92, Ben Wright 78). Norfolk (12pts) drew with Lincolnshire (8pts)
Western Division One
Falkland: Herefordshire 192 & 162 (Luke Beaven 5-57), Berkshire 374-9 (Imran Malik 73, Charlie Dunnett 67, Andy Rishton 50). Berkshire (24pts) beat Herefordshire (5pts) by an innings and 20 runs.
Wimborne: Cheshire 385-8 (Nick Anderson 88 not out, Rob Sehmi 73, Ali Chughtai 64) & 183-4 (Henry Dobson 87, Rob Sehmi 60), Dorset 357-9 dec (Sam Young 152, David Scott 131). Dorset (11pts) drew with Cheshire (12pts).
Eastern Division Two
Tring Park: Buckinghamshire 386 (Alex Woodland 111, Michael Wells 64) & 245-5 dec (Alex Woodland 83, Michael Payne 72 not out), Cambridgeshire 153 (Conner Haddow 6-40) & 179 (Callum Guest 80). Buckinghamshire (24pts) beat Cambridgeshire (4pts) by 299 runs.
Hertford: Hertfordshire 330 (Kishen Velani 93, Josh de Caires 78) & 259 (Josh de Caires 93, Kishen Velani 57, Reece Hussain 56), Northumberland 275 (Dan Shurben 82) & 278-8 (Jack Jessop 90, Dan Shurben 71). Hertfordshire (12pts) drew with Northumberland (11pts).
Western Division Two
Truro: Wales NC 298 (Connor Brown 133, Andrew Libby 6-81) & 212-8 dec (Cameron Herring 70 not out, George Pritchard 56), Cornwall 226 (Ellis Whiteford 50 not out). Cornwall (10pts) drew with Wales NC (11pts).
Sidmouth: Devon 402 (Matt Thompson 128, Calum Haggett 98, Elliot Hamilton 84, Jack Mynott 5-67), Wiltshire 225 (Max Shepherd 5-32) & 99 (Max Shepherd 8-40. Devon (24pts) beat Wiltshire (6pts) by 78 runs.
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