The opening batsman scored a century in his side’s innings of 238-6 off 50 overs and Berkshire then restricted Buckinghamshire to 213-7 to win by 25 runs.

Following a heavy defeat by Herefordshire, this was Berkshire’s first victory in Group Four of the Unicorns Trophy with two ties remaining – away to Staffordshire this Sunday and home to Oxfordshire at Henley on May 17.

It was also their first success since defeating Bucks at Dinton in the same one-day competition nearly 12 months ago.

Henley’s Roberts featured in four productive partnerships after Berkshire had won the toss on a chilly and overcast day.

He dominated the opening stand of 51 with Simon Macey only contributing nine runs in 71 minutes as the batsmen made a cautious start on a wicket they were seeing for the first time.

Harry Stephens, the former Finchampstead batsman, joined Roberts in the 18th over and they lifted the total to 119 before the former was caught for 34 in the 35th over.

Roberts and Richard Morris (26) put on another 54 runs for the third wicket, and that was followed by a stand of 40 in just four overs with skipper James Morris.

The stylish Roberts moved on to 101 before being trapped lbw by Hamza Riazuddin. He faced 136 balls in his 181-minute stay at the crease, and hit one maximum and eight boundaries.

Chris Peploe was run out for five and Stewart Davison was bowled by Riazuddin for one, leaving James Morris 30 not out and Waqas Hussain unbeaten on eight at the end of the 50 overs.

Riazuddin, who plays for west Berkshire club Falkland, finished with 3-48 off 10 overs.

When the visitors went in to bat, they hit immediate trouble, losing two wickets to Hussain and Matt Carter with only one run on the board.

Bucks progressed to 42-2 before losing two more wickets to the bowling of Euan Brock and Finchampstead teenager Callum Gregory (pictured below left) in the 15th and 16th overs.

Berks were now in control of the game, with the visitors being tied down by a varied Berkshire attack.

However, their victory charge was held up by Dan Hampton and Riazuddin, the pair putting on 142 for the fifth wicket in 29 overs and for a time it looked as Bucks might even pull the match out of the fire.

However, in going for another big hit off Peploe, Hampton fell to a fine catch on the long-on boundary by Brock, having hit 77 off 84 deliveries, with the help of three maximums and six boundaries.

In his next over, Peploe, on his 34th birthday, had Riazuddin stumped by Davison for 68 – which came off 99 balls and contained eight boundaries – and Wokingham-resident Carter later bowled Matt Rance (6) with the last ball of the day.

Berks: 238-5 off 50 overs: Macey 9, Roberts 101, Stephens 34, R Morris 26, J Morris 30no, Peploe 5, Davison 1, Hussain 8no. Extras 24.

Bucks bowling: Stanaway 10-2-18-0, King 6-0-20-0, Riazuddin 10-1-48-3, Hampton 5-1-17-1, Rance 7-0-32-0, Amjaid 10-0-59-0, Payne 2-0-21-1, Bucks: 213-7 off 50 overs: Pritchard 13, Watson 0, Khan 1, Payne 18, Riazuddin 68, Hampton 77, Russell 14no, Rance 5. Extras 17.

Berks bowling: Carter 9-3-25-2, Hussain 9-0-70-1, Peploe 10-2-35-2, Gregory 6-0-14-1, Brock 10-1-22-1, Stephens 6-0-44-0.