Brilliant Ward puts Berkshire to the sword

BERKSHIRE lost both their opening games in the NCCA T20 competition against Oxfordshire at Falkland.

They went down by eight wickets in the first match, but then hit back in the second, going down by only three runs as they replied to Oxon’s 212-7.

A good-sized Easter Sunday crowd was treated to two displays of sensational batting from Oxfordshire’s Harrison Ward, the 22-yearold left-hander who made his debut for Sussex in the T20

Blast last summer.

Ward blasted 74 off 36 balls with five sixes and six fours in the first match, followed in the next by an outstanding 130 from 59 balls on the back of 12 sixes and eight fours.

The former England U19 batsman shared an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 85 with Ollie Clarke (35no) as Oxon eased home with seven overs to spare.

Put in to bat, Berkshire were soon in trouble, losing half their side for 66.

The middle order rallied with Andy Rishton making 40, Josh Lincoln 28 and debutant Jafer Chohan 12, but their total of 143-9 was never going to be enough.

Spinners Rhodri Lewis and Luke Beaven shared four wickets in the second match but were unable to put the brake on Ward who took just 12 overs to bring up his century before he was stumped by Dan Lincoln off Lewis for 130.

Oxon, who last year succeeded Berks as the NCCA three-day champions, finished up with 212-7.

New skipper Lincoln led the Berks reply, hitting 94 off 45 balls with five sixes and nine fours before being the eighth man out at 180-8 in the 17th over.

Beaven and Max Uttley edged Berks closer to their target, but they could not quite make it to the line, finishing on 209-9.

Berkshire are next in action on May 1 when they play Wales at Newport.