Brother takes charge for Berkshire

Richard |Morris captains county against Cheshire

Henley’s Richard Morris will skipper Berkshire against Cheshire at his former club Falkland in the three-day Unicorns Championship game starting on Sunday (11am).
The Newbury-born batsman, who has a batting average of 77.83 for Henley in the Home Counties Premier League, takes over from his brother James, who is unable to play due to work commitments.
Berkshire will also be without Reading all-rounder Martin Andersson, who is playing for Middlesex 2nd XI, while Henley spinner Euan Woods is on Surrey duty next week.
Henley batsman Michael Roberts and Slough spinner Ali Akbar come into the squad.
It is a game that Berkshire need to win if they are stay in the Western Division title race.
Henley’s wicketkeeper Stewart Davison will be back behind the stumps, having missed the Wales game last week due to coaching commitments with Oxford MCCU.
His side defeated Loughborough MCCU by 37 runs in the MCC Universities Challenge final at Lord’s.
Berkshire got their season off to a cracking start with a huge 269-run win over Herefordshire at Colwall, but their first home game was badly affected by wet weather at Henley.
Berkshire were bowled out for just 98 and Wales Minor Counties were looking strongly placed at 180-5 from 53 overs before rain prevented any rain on both Monday and Tuesday.
James Morris said: “It was disappointing not to get any cricket for two days.
“It was a game we wanted to win, but as it turned out we were probably happy to come out of it with a draw.
“Now, we have to look to win our next four games if we are to be at the right end of the table come the end of the season.”
With all counties having played two games, Berkshire lie fourth in the Western Division table with 29 points, four points ahead of fifth-placed Cheshire.
Cornwall, with two wins, are the early pace-setters with 47 points.
Cheshire defeated Wiltshire in their opening game by eight wickets before losing to Dorset by the same margin last week.
Berkshire will be hoping for a repeat of their game against Cheshire last August when they won by 177 runs after bowling out the home side for 225 on the final day at Alderley Edge.
Chris Peploe took 10 wickets in the match and Tom Nugent eight, while Waqas Hussain hit a century in Berkshire’s second innings.
Berkshire: Ollie Wilkin (Ealing), Waqas Hussain (Slough), Michael Roberts (Henley), Richard Morris (c, Henley), Billy Rogers (Finchampstead), Andy Rishton (Finchampstead), Chris Peploe (Datchet), Stewart Davison (wkt, Henley), Matt Carter (Finchampstead), Tom Nugent (Henley), Ali Akbar (Slough), Mark Firth (Boyne Hill).