Match report by David Wright

Scorecard
v Lincolnshire CCC 16th May 2010 @ Henley CC


Berkshire, needing a win to stay in contention for a quarter-final place, had their MCCA Knock-out Trophy hopes washed out at Henley on Sunday.

Their Group 4 game with Lincolnshire, who were also requiring a victory to keep their last-eight chances alive, was cut short by rain shortly after Berkshire had started their innings.

They remain bottom of their table with just one more game, away to Suffolk next Sunday, remaining.

Lincs, having been put in to bat, made a very respectable total of 306-8 in their 50 overs. But, after a break for rain, Berkshire's target was reduced to 275 in 40 overs.

They were on 23-1 in the fifth over when the heaviest rain of the day caused the fourth stoppage of the day and no more play was possible.

The Royal county's previous home game, against Cambridgeshire, had been rained off without a ball being bowled.

"It has been another frustrating day for us," said disappointed team manager David Morris.
"Before the stoppage the game was evenly poised.

"Chasing 300 would not have been easy, but on this ground it was a gettable target."
At one stage of the game, it was beginning to look as if Berkshire would be chasing an even larger total.

After Steve Wheeler had taken two wickets for Berkshire, Lincs' third-wicket pair of Dan Birch and skipper Mathew Dowman took control of proceedings, producing an awesome batting performance that saw the ball blasted out of the ground on several occasions. Fifty one runs came in the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st overs, with bowler Steve Naylor coming in for the heaviest punishment.

But Naylor, who finished with three wickets, stuck to his task and as Morris commented: "In the end we did well to contain Lincolnshire to just over the 300 as they were looking capable of getting 350. They are a good batting side, with their top four having first-class experience."

Berkshire were also guilty of spilling three or four catches, although the ground fielding could not be faulted.

Birch and Dowman took the total past the 200 mark before their stand of 134 was ended in the 35th over when opener Birch was bowled by Naylor for 92, which came off 104 balls and included five sixes and eight fours.
Naylor also dismissed Vikram Atri for 21 and Dowman for 73 with the total on 240.
Dowman faced just 71 deliveries and hit two sixes plus nine fours.

The visitors kept pushing the score along and an unbeaten 36 off just 20 balls saw them reach 306-8 in their 50 overs.

Naylor took 3-76 off 10 overs, while the most economical bowlers were Carl Crowe with 1-32 off 10 overs and Jamie Hoddle 1-39 off six.

When Berkshire replied, they lost Craig Crowe for a duck before David Barnes (15) and Jono McLean (8) took the total to 23-1 before rain brought a premature halt to the proceedings.
 
Scores: Lincolnshire 306-8 (Birch 92, Dowman 73, Burford 36no, Crook 22, Atri 21; Wheeler 3-64, Naylor 3-76). Berkshire 23-1 (4.5overs).