FINCHAMPSTEAD CC batsman Dan Lincoln was in cracking form when Berkshire warmed up for the new season with a squad match at Henley on Sunday, writes Dave Wright.

He smashed 100 off 70 balls with seven sixes and nine boundaries in a 74-minute stay at the crease.

Lincoln and Finch team-mate Andy Rishton (58no) lifted the total from 69-4 in the 31st over to 217-5 in the 49th to help James Morris’s XI reach 229-5 by the end of their 50 overs.

Finchampstead wicket-keeper Sukhi Kang took two catches, including that of Max Stevenson (18), who has left the club to join Datchet.

Richard Morris skippered the other Berkshire side, who were dismissed for 208 although only nine wickets went down as Richard sportingly retired when he was on 53 (off 48 balls, 3-6s, 5-4s) with the total on 150 after 25 overs.

He and Wokingham’s Archie Carter (52) shared a third-wicket stand of 83 in 15 overs, taking the total from 67-2 to 150. There was a mid-innings slump although Carter offered plenty of resistance before being the seventh man out when the total was on 185 in the 36th over.

Kang made 24 and Chris Peploe 13 before the innings ended in the 43rd over, leaving James’s team the winners by 21 runs.

Pick of the bowlers were Mark Firth 10-2-31-3, Fahim Bahrami 10-0-62-3 and Rishton 9-1-38-2.

Head coach Tom Lambert described it as a “very good work-out” for his players.

Euan Woods (abroad) and Tom Nugent (resting) both missed the game, as did Waqas Hussain, who will be out of action for a month after breaking his hand while playing in Australia.

Berkshire are now looking forward to taking on Wiltshire in the annual challenge match for the Marlborough Cup at North Maidenhead CC on Easter Sunday.

Before the game, the Unicorns Counties Championship holders will be announcing a major sponsorship deal with a Maidenhead company in addition to an exciting tie-up with county champions Middlesex CC.

  • TWO of the Berkshire players have enjoyed success on the football field in the past week.

Lincoln played in goal for Ryman Premier League side Bognor Town on Saturday and saved a penalty in their 4-0 win at Sudbury which keeps them top of the table with three games left. And Kang was in the Woodley United squad that have finished runners-up in Division One East of the Hellenic League to gain promotion.