Berkshire face final decider

MINOR COUNTIES: Sidmouth showdown will settle Minor Counties Western title

BERKSHIRE will face Devon in a Western Division championship decider at Sidmouth from August 21-23.

They could have sewn up the title against Oxfordshire at Banbury this week, but produced their worst performance of the season and came close to losing.

Set 489 to win, Berkshire stumbled to 194-9 and tail-enders Luke Beaven and Tom Parsons had to hang on grimly under extreme pressure for three overs to secure the draw.

Berkshire, having won all of their previous four games in emphatic style, were outplayed on all three days and even professional Shaun Udal had to admit: "We weren't at our best in all three days and were probably a bit lucky to get away with a draw, but we scrapped to the end."

Udal, however, had to spend much of the final day in the pavilion after aggravating a ankle injury. He bowled only 10 overs in the match, and they were in the first innings.

He did manage to bat twice, but was limping and clearly in some discomfort and was planning to go for a scan this week that could affect his involvement in the title decider and the Knock Out Trophy final with Hertfordshire at Lord's on August 25.