Berkshire delighted with semi final win
Team manager Roy New says Berkshire have every intention of winning the MCCA Trophy at Lord's next month
BERKSHIRE will travel to Lord's next month with every intention of winning the MCCA Trophy, according to team manager Roy New.
Following a 58-run victory against Cumberland at Falkland on Sunday, Berkshire are set to face Hertfordshire in the final of the knockout competition on August 25 - their third final in eight years and first since 2008, when Berkshire lost to Devon.
New said he was absolutely delighted with the performance on Sunday, after Berkshire made 300-9 off their 50 overs and then bowled the visitors out for 242, with Tom Lambert (4-42), Shaun Udal (3-40) and Bjorn Mordt (1-47) sharing wickets between them.
He said: “There were two factors to that win.
“One was the brilliant opening partnership between Michael Roberts (103) and David Barnes (86) and the second was that we took wickets at regular intervals and didn't allow them to put together any stands of any substance.”
New said he and the team were now looking forward to the final next month against a Hertfordshire side that defeated Cambridgeshire by seven wickets in the other semi-final at Harpenden on Sunday.
New said that Berkshire knew quite a lot about their opponents in the final, who were also Berkshire's first ever opponents in a match back in 1895.
He said several Hertfordshire players also played in the Home Counties Premier League, adding that he expected a good game in the final, although he said Berkshire would head to Lord's with every intention of winning the game and Berkshire's first MCCA Trophy since 2004.
However, Berkshire are back in Minor Counties Championship Western Division league action before the final, starting with a home three-day fixture against Wiltshire at Falkland this week.
New said he expected another tough match against a side that Berkshire comprehensively beat in the annual Marlborough Cup fixture in pre-season, adding that that would count for nothing now.
Play starts at Enborne Lodge at 11am on Sunday.
