Durant Cricket National Counties Championship: Week 4 - Day 1 Review

Johnny Connell rescued defending champions Berkshire on a testing opening day of their Durant Cricket National Counties Championship Western Division One match against Herefordshire at Eastnor. 

Berkshire, who were put in on a pitch that was still recovering from getting wet during a county Under-18s match during the week, were in dire straits at 99 for seven shortly after lunch. 

But Connell helped them to the relative prosperity of 210 all out by making a career-best 95 in more than four hours. 

At one stage it looked like Connell might carry his bat but he was eighth out, bowled by James Rudge five short of his century, having shared an eighth wicket partnership of 99 with Toby Greatwood (45). 

Rudge claimed his maiden five wicket haul and he and Roshan Venkataraman (three for 42) posed problems throughout for the misfiring champions. 

Berkshire, who need to win this match to have any hope of progressing to next month’s final, still had plenty of work to do despite Connell’s efforts and they were made to work hard for a breakthrough by Herefordshire openers Ben Chapman-Lilley and Rehaan Edavalath. 

Edavalath, who is on Worcestershire’s staff, made 43 in his first National Counties innings before he was stumped off slow left-armer Luke Beaven which broken an opening partnership of 80. 

Chapman-Lilley reached his half-century and was unbeaten on 53 at the close with Herefordshire 100 behind. 

Cheshire, who were thwarted by rain against Berkshire last week, also struggled against Devon at Chester Boughton Hall where James Horler gave the visitors the advantage with a polished century. 

Horler stroked 165 from 225 balls – an innings that included 20 fours and two sixes – to take Devon to a commanding 423 for nine after they had been put in following a delayed start. 

Horler was well-supported by his opening partner Ben Privett (43), Matt Thompson (38), Elliot Hamilton (43), Calum Haggett (30) and Ben Beaumont (38) as Devon’s batters put in a solid shift. 

Steve Green took five wickets in an innings for the first time in his first Championship appearance in two years for Cheshire. 

Pace bowler Kaz Szymanski then reduced Cheshire to four for three within the first 17 balls of their first innings before they limped to 19 for three in nine overs at the close. 

Staffordshire slow left-armer Tom Brett took seven for 93 to check Lincolnshire’s progress at Checkley in Eastern Division One. 

It was Brett’s third five wicket haul since he joined Staffordshire from Bedfordshire and took his wicket tally for his new county to 26. 

Lincolnshire’s 281 was based around a third wicket partnership of 71 between captain Tom Keast (93) and the in-form Ben Wright (50) with useful contributions from Joe Pocklington (36) and Drew Sylvester (34). 

Staffordshire responded with 54 without loss with captain James Kettleborough unbeaten on 40. 

There were 16 wickets in an eventful day at Horsford, five of them in a career-best performance for Norfolk slow left-armer Ryan Findlay against Suffolk. 

Suffolk’s 209 was based almost entirely around a third wicket stand of 131 between Jack Beaumont – with a career-best 89 – and George Rhodes (50). 

Norfolk struggled in reply and limped to 97 for six by the close with seamer Rajan Singh taking three for 18 on his Suffolk debut. 

It was even more frenetic at Carlisle where 17 wickets went down with Northumberland earning a narrow first innings lead over hosts Cumbria in Eastern Division Two. 

Cumbria were dismissed for 169 having opted to bat first with opener Freddie Fallows making a half-century and Northumberland slow left-armer Oli McGee taking five wickets. 

Michael Slack (four for 39) and Ed Moulton (three for 34) then had Northumberland in trouble at 51 for five before John Oswell launched the counter-attack. 

Oswell’s 70-ball 71 included six sixes and his fifth wicket partnership of 84 with Alasdair Appleby (43) helped Northumberland to 195 for seven and a lead of 26. 

Hertfordshire’s batters dominated against Cambridgeshire at Hertford with opener Dominic Chatfield leading the way with 132. 

David Burnell (97) and Arjun Patel (66 not out) both made career-best scores in Hertfordshire’s 365 for five in their 90 overs. 

Cambridgeshire reduced the deficit by 34 without losing a wicket although their captain, Wayne White, hobbled off injured. 

Dorset’s former Somerset batter Sam Young followed up his double century against Shropshire with 177 against Wiltshire at the South Wilts club in Salisbury in Western Division One. 

Young and Alex Eckland (96) shared a fourth wicket partnership of 204 which took Dorset to 391 for nine declared. 

Wiltshire replied with 52 for one with opener Dylan Church unbeaten on 30. 

A maiden century from Wales NC opener Harry Friend and a tenth in the Championship from player/coach Brad Wadlan frustrated Cornwall at Abergavenny. 

Friend, whose previous best in 12 Championship innings was 27, and Wadlan added 109 for the fourth wicket with George Pritchard adding a quickfire 42 not out at the end of the innings.  

Pritchard then took the wicket of Adam Hodgson before Cornwall closed on 25 for one. 

Durant Cricket National Counties Championship 

First day of three 

Eastern Division One 

Horsford: Suffolk 209 (Jack Beaumont 89, George Rhodes 50, Ryan Findlay 5-57), Norfolk 97-6.

Checkley: Lincolnshire 281 (Tom Keast 93, Ben Wright 50, Tom Brett 7-93), Staffordshire 54-0   

Western Division One  

Chester Boughton Hall: Devon 423-9 (James Horler 165, Steve Green 5-99), Cheshire 19-3.

Eastnor: Berkshire 210 (Johnny Connell 95, James Rudge 5-57), Herefordshire 110-1 (Ben Chapman-Lilley 53 not out). 

Eastern Division Two 

Carlisle: Cumbria 169 (Freddie Fallows 51, Oli McGee 5-59), Northumberland 195-7 (John Oswell 71).

Hertford: Hertfordshire 365-5 (Dominic Chatfield 132, David Burnell 97, Arjun Patel 66 not out), Cambridgeshire 34-0. 

Western Division Two 

Abergavenny: Wales NC (Harry Friend 120, Brad Wadlan 102), Cornwall 25-1.

South Wilts CC: Dorset (Sam Young 177, Alex Eckland 96), Wiltshire 52-1.