BERKSHIRE play their last home match of the season in the Unicorns Counties Championship when they take on Devon at Finchampstead CC in a three-day game starting this Sunday (11am), writes Dave Wright.

With two wins and a draw, Berkshire remain unbeaten and still in with a chance of winning the Western Division. They are just two points behind leaders Cornwall, but with Oxfordshire and Shropshire also in close contention.

Berkshire captain James Morris said: “We are well placed in the table at the half-way stage of the championship season, but there are a group of teams all in with a shout of winning the division.” Despite wearing an unbeaten tag, Morris also believes his side can improve. And the good news, is that their three remaining fixtures are against sides who currently occupy three of the bottom four places in the table.

He explained: “We haven’t got anywhere near playing 100% yet, which is great news when you consider we have won two games and drawn with a strong Shropshire side.

“I am sure we will do at one stage and, if we do, then we could hand out a right hiding to some team. It would be nice to happen against Devon as this is our last home game of the season​.” Devon are usually one of the strongest sides in the league, but it is not yet happening for them this year. They are second from bottom of the table following a draw and two defeats. Their latest reverse came against Herefordshire at Sidmouth, where they crashed to an eight wicket defeat after being dismissed for 104 (from 38-6) in their first innings and 255 in their second.

Berkshire, however, have failed to beat Devon in their last three meetings (a draw and two defeats) and the complete record between the two counties is 32 wins for Berkshire, 40 for Devon with 65 draws.

Play will start at 11am each day.

Berkshire’s squad is expected to include Henley’s Matt Carter, who lives in Wokingham, and Harry Stephens, the former Finchampstead all-rounder now with Datchet.

BERKSHIRE play their last home match of the season in the Unicorns Counties Championship when they take on Devon at Finchampstead CC in a three-day game starting this Sunday (11am), writes Dave Wright.

With two wins and a draw, Berkshire remain unbeaten and still in with a chance of winning the Western Division. They are just two points behind leaders Cornwall, but with Oxfordshire and Shropshire also in close contention.

Berkshire captain James Morris said: “We are well placed in the table at the half-way stage of the championship season, but there are a group of teams all in with a shout of winning the division.” Despite wearing an unbeaten tag, Morris also believes his side can improve. And the good news, is that their three remaining fixtures are against sides who currently occupy three of the bottom four places in the table.

He explained: “We haven’t got anywhere near playing 100% yet, which is great news when you consider we have won two games and drawn with a strong Shropshire side.

“I am sure we will do at one stage and, if we do, then we could hand out a right hiding to some team. It would be nice to happen against Devon as this is our last home game of the season​.” Devon are usually one of the strongest sides in the league, but it is not yet happening for them this year. They are second from bottom of the table following a draw and two defeats. Their latest reverse came against Herefordshire at Sidmouth, where they crashed to an eight wicket defeat after being dismissed for 104 (from 38-6) in their first innings and 255 in their second.

Berkshire, however, have failed to beat Devon in their last three meetings (a draw and two defeats) and the complete record between the two counties is 32 wins for Berkshire, 40 for Devon with 65 draws.

Play will start at 11am each day.

Berkshire’s squad is expected to include Henley’s Matt Carter, who lives in Wokingham, and Harry Stephens, the former Finchampstead all-rounder now with Datchet.

<strong>Berkshire Girls</strong> LAUREN Turner and Molly Rogers have set a new record partnership for the Berkshire Under-11 girls team, writes Dave Wright.

They put on 107 for the second wicket as they saw their side to victory at 108-1 over Oxfordshire in the match played at Lambrook School in Winkfield Row. The previous record was 99.

Turner scored 52 and Rogers made 21, with the remaining runs coming from extras.

Earlier, Oxfordshire had been restricted to 107-5 with captain Nicola Lee (2-13) and Sophie Jordan (2-15) the pick of the bowlers. Tessa Slater top scored for the visitors with 39.

The counties then met in a return fixture at Minster Lovell CC. Berkshire bowled out their hosts for 71 with Turner taking 5-5 off her three overs, with three wickets coming in the final over. Lee had figures of 2-7.

Berkshire lost their first two wickets without scoring a run, but recovered to 20-5 before a 22-run partnership between Kaelin Dell and Poppy Evans, who scored 14, enabled the visitors to secure victory by three wickets.

<strong>Berkshire Women</strong> LISSY MacLeod starred with both bat and ball as Berkshire Women defeated Middlesex by 37 runs in their re-arranged County Championship game at Harrow School on Saturday.

She made her side’s top score of 61 in a total of 202 before taking four wickets as the home side were dismissed for 165.

MacLeod featured in two 50-run partnerships, first with skipper Heather Knight (28) and then with Aussie Corrine Hall (35). There were also useful contributions from Emily Gerke, with 26, and Linsey Smith (23).

Smith went on to take 3-24 for Berkshire, who were missing both of their regular opening bowlers Daisy Gardner and Immie Brown.

Middlesex lost half their side for 51 before Beth Morgan (56) improved their position, but McLeod finished off them off, taking 4-26.

Berkshire are back in action this Sunday when they travel to Wigan CC to play Lancashire.

<strong>Berkshire Over 50s</strong> BERKSHIRE Over 50s have reached the last 16 of the ECB County Championship despite losing their final Group Five game by three wickets at Sussex.

Gordon Morgan (38) and Phil Ridgeway (46) put on 71 for the first wicket, but a mini-collapse saw Berkshire slip to 100-3.

However, an outstanding unbeaten partnership of 163 by Phil Oxley (96no) and Mark Simmons (59no) saw the visitors close on an impressive 263-3 from their 45 overs.

Sussex also started well with Rajesh Sharma blasting a rapid 84 from just 64 balls in an opening stand of 120 with Martyn Ford.

Steve West (5-23) dragged Berkshire back into the contest, but Ford paced his innings to perfection and eventually ended on 104 not out as Sussex got home with an over to spare.

However, Surrey’s defeat to group winners Essex allowed Berkshire to finish third on net run rate, ahead of Surrey and Kent – all three sides having 16 points.

Pav Midha scored 205 for the Over 50s 2nds, but they slipped to an 11-run defeat after failing to chase Hertfordshire’s score of 246-7 on Thursday. Steve Clarke also scored 41 for the visitors.

<strong>Berkshire Over 60s</strong> RONNIE Brock top scored with 63 but Berkshire Over 60s total of 180-9 proved insufficient against Kent on Tuesday of last week – the home side sealing a three-wicket win with one ball to spare in a thrilling conclusion.

<strong>Schools</strong> THE Berkshire rounds of the Chance to Compete, a national secondary schools competition, were played at Reading CC.

Results: Under-15 boys: Winners – Langley Academy; runners-up – Highdown (Emmer Green).

Under-15 girls: Winners – Charters (Sunningdale); runners-up - The Abbey (Reading).

Under-13 boys: Winners - Slough & Eton; runners-up - Langley Academy.

Under-13 girls: Winners - Garth Hill (Bracknell) ; runners-up - Charters.

l WOKINGHAM CC hosted the Berkshire finals of the Kwik Cricket competition with 26 mixed and girls teams qualifying from an original entry of more than 150.

The mixed final was won by Bradfield with Whitegrove (Warfield) finishing runners-up, while the girls’ event saw Willow Bank (Woodley) beat Godolphin (Slough).

Matches were umpired by pupils from The Forest School, Winnersh.

The winning teams go forward to the regional finals at Clifton College, Bristol.