Berkshire face Suffolk run-makers

BERKSHIRE bid to move to within one match of the final when they face Suffolk at Falkland CC on Sunday in the quarter-finals of the Unicorns Trophy.

Berkshire won all four of their group one matches to reach the last eight, and face a Suffolk side that were runners-up in their group, winning two and losing two of their games, clinching their knock-out spot with a last game defeat of Bedfordshire.

Their championship opener last weekend saw Buckinghamshire hold on for a draw in their second innings, scoring 92-5 as they managed to avoid an innings defeat after Suffolk had piled on 394-6 before bowling out their visitors to Bury St Edmonds for 260 in their first imnings.

Suffolk’s batsmen in form were openers Martyn Cull and former Essex batsman Jaik Mickleburgh, who put on 203 with Cull making 98 and Mickleburgh retiring when he had 108 on the board.

Berkshire have scored one county record against Sunday’s opponents when, in 2011, they scored a KO Trophy record of 330-6 in their match at Henley on their way to winning the trophy for a second time when beating Hertfordshire at Lord’s.

Sunday’s other quarter-final ties see Hertfordshire take on Cheshire at Harpenden, Devon go to Grantham to face Lincolnshire and Staffordshire entertain Norfolk at Longton.

Sunday’s tie at Enborne Lodge starts at 11am.