Berks hoping to bounce back after being on the wrong end of record T20 Finals Day total

Berkshire open their defence of the National Counties Cricket Association Trophy against Hertfordshire at Henley Cricket Club on Bank Holiday Monday (11am), writes Dave Wright.

When they met them in the group stage last year, they won by six wickets at North Mymms, with skipper Dan Lincoln making an unbeaten half-century.

Berks will be looking to bounce back following their 68-run defeat by Staffordshire in the T20 semi-finals at Tring Park last Sunday.

Staffs notched up a massive 252-2, the highest-ever Finals Day total, after Nils Priestley had smashed a brilliant unbeaten 147 from just 66 balls with 10 sixes and 12 fours.

He brought up his century from 41 balls, having along the way hit three sixes and two fours off five successive deliveries from Shaariq Sheikh.

Priestley shared an opening partnership of 124 in nine overs with Zen Malik (40) and then 99 with James Kettleborough (33).

Lincoln and Johnny Connell made a promising start to Berkshire’s reply, reaching 84 in 7.4 overs before the Henley batter was dismissed for 36.

Two overs and 17 runs later, Lincoln was caught for 55 and the innings faltered with Berks slipping from 123-2 to 137-5, and finishing with a final total of 184-9.

Staffs (119 all out) went on to lift the title by beating Cornwall (115-9) by four runs in front of a large crowd.

An investigation is taking place into an alleged racist word used by an Oxfordshire player during a T20 match against Berkshire at Thame on

May 1.

It is being made by an independent official appointed by the ECB and NCCA.

Oxfordshire Cricket Board confirmed they are assisting with the matter and said they will issue a statement when the hearing is concluded.

The neighbouring counties met in a double header, with Berks winning one and losing the other.