MINOR Counties champions Berkshire have lost the services of prolific run-maker Waqas Hussain.

The former Slough and Henley batting star is joining Cambridgeshire, the county where he plays his club cricket for Sawston and Babraham.

Berkshire head coach Tom Lambert commented: "It goes without saying, we are disappointed to lose his services, but we fully understand the added security his move to Cambridgeshire will give him and his young family.

"We wish him all the success in the future."

Hussain, 26, played an important part of Berkshire's exceptionally successful run which has seen them win the Western Division title and Minor Counties Championship three years in a row without losing a game, in addition to winning national 50/50 and T20 titles.

Due to a serious facial injury sustained in pre-season training, he played in only four Western Division games last year, but still accumulated a total of 621 runs from eight innings, which included one not out.

Lambert added: "Berkshire will clearly miss him, but what a great challenge to start to slowly build another team over the coming years."

Their first fixture in 2019 will be on Sunday, April 14 when they face a Middlesex XI at Wormsley in a friendly.

A week later they play their annual challenge match against Wiltshire at North Maidenhead and on April 28 they have another friendly against Bedfordshire at Dunstable.