FINCHAMPSTEAD CC teenager Billy Rogers made a promising debut for Berkshire in their Unicorns Trophy group match against Devon at Exmouth on Sunday, writes Dave Wright.

There were also good performances by club colleagues Matt Carter and Andy Rishton, but they were unable to prevent Berkshire from slipping to a two-wicket defeat, which means the county can no longer reach the knock-out stages.

Rogers, 18, helped a Berkshire recovery after openers Michael Roberts and Waqas Hussain had departed with only three runs on the board.

Stand-in skipper Richard Morris (60 off 70 balls) and Brandon Gilmour (28), making his first Trophy appearance, added 96 for the third wicket to take the total to 99, but both departed in quick succession.

This brought together Euan Woods and Rishton and they put on 28 before Woods fell for 13.

Rogers joined Rishton and the Finch duo put on 53 in 11 overs for the sixth wicket, taking the total to 181.

Rishton was dismissed for 35 (off 64 balls) and five runs later Rogers was bowled for 28, which came from 38 deliveries.

Carter (pictured below) contributed only nine and Berkshire were all back in the pavilion for 216.

He then opened the bowling and took the first three Devon wickets with his fifth delivery in three successive overs, leaving the hosts 56-3.

Devon skipper Rob Woodman improved his side’s position with a half century, but when they lost their eighth wicket at 174 with seven overs remaining, a Berkshire victory looked on the cards.

However, that changed as Dominic Bess, in particular, and cousin Zak Bess decided that attacking the bowling was the best method to take in a win-or-bust situation.

Dominic smashed 56 off 44 balls with a six and six fours, while the more patient Zak hit 16 off 21 deliveries in an unbroken partnership of 44 as Devon reached their target off the first ball of the final over.

Carter finished with figures of 10-1-41-3.

Berkshire were forced to make two late changes from the 12 originally named by coach Tom Lambert.

When skipper James Morris returned to hospital for a check up on his injured left thumb, he was told it was not dislocated as first thought but fractured and is now in plaster for three weeks.

Also absent last Sunday was Chris Peploe, who received a one-match ban from the Minor Counties Cricket Association for a disciplinary offence during the game against Oxfordshire at Wargrave the previous week.

This second defeat in four games ends Berkshire’s interest in the one-day competition.

They can now concentrate on the three-day championship, which starts on June 5 when they take on Herefordshire at Colwall CC.