Berkshire kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stage of the NCCA Trophy by defeating group four leaders Wales NC on Sunday, writes Dave Wright.
Beaten for the first time, Wales have completed their four games on six points, and are two points ahead of Berkshire, who themselves are two clear of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire.
Wales are assured of making the quarter-finals, but the placings will be decided on run-rate following the final round of group games this coming Sunday when Berks face Bucks at Wargrave while Oxon take on Beds at Aston Rowant.
It was a solid team performance at Newport where the Trophy holders chased down a 50-over total of 247-6 to win by three wickets with nine balls to spare.
The hosts lost their first three wickets for 30 before recovering well thanks to a fine knock of 94 from Oskar Kolk and a sixth-wicket partnership of 127 between Cameron Herring (62) and Greg Holmes (47).
Berkshire’s strong spin department had taken the bulk of the wickets in the previous games, but not on this occasion with seamer Andy Rishton claiming the bowling honours with 3-32 from eight overs.
Berks lost Archie Carter for a second-ball duck, but there were useful contributions from the rest of the batsmen, highlighted by a fourth-wicket stand of 118 between skipper Richard Morris (67) and Dan Lincoln, who hammered 55 off 66 balls.
