Cheshire draw with Berkshire at Alderley Edge

Berkshire made full use of a very flat wicket at the delightful Alderley Edge ground, batting to the 100 over 1st innings closure for a total of 466 - 5 wickets.

Richard Howitt carried his bat for 170 not out-a career best score. His innings was a model of concentration, and chanceless, with a powerful array of shots all around the wicket.

There were three centuries in the Berkshire innings, something of a rarity in Minor Counties cricket.

Lee Nurse and Howitt put on 181 for the first wicket off 43 overs, before Robin Fisher bowled Nurse for a stylish 108.

Julian Wood joined Howitt and runs continued to come freely before Fisher too bowled Wood for 29.

The innings continued to gain momentum as Paul Prichard joined Howitt, the two adding 176 for the 3rd wicket in 35 overs, before Prichard departed for 101 off just 109 balls.

Fisher was Cheshire's most successful bowler. He worked hard through 42 overs of slow left arm for his 3 wickets on a wicket that gave bowlers little encouragement and certainly no margin for error.

A mixture of bad light and drizzle halted play briefly, before Cheshire batted through the remaining seven overs untroubled, finishing the day on 16 for no wicket.

Cheshire lost early wickets. Danny Leecha little unluckilycaught at slip, one of three wickets for Carl Crowe; Simon Ogilby caught at mid-wicket and Andrew Hall bowled by seamer Steve Bloyce.

There was no further encouragement for the bowlers as Richard Hignett and Nafees Din gradually got on top- though both were badly dropped when well setadding 181 for the 4th wicket from 37 overs. Hignett departed with the score at 247-4, caught miscuing to mid on for 81. Mike Bolger was needlessly run out for 3 and at 260-5, a follow on situation was looming. Simon Renshaw gave good support to Din, 92 was added for the 6th wicket before Din fell lbw to Wood for an attractive 160.

The declaration came at 409-6 from 93 overs leaving Berkshire 14 overs in the day to get their 2nd innings under way.

Nurse and Howitt took the score quickly to 54 before Nurse was lbw to David Pennett for 16 and Howitt edged a good one to keeper Simon Ogilvy off the same bowler. Night watchman James Ettridge was caught-a little unluckilyat short leg off Simon Fisher and the day ended with Berkshire on 71-3, a lead of 128 going into the final day.

Batsmen again flourished on the final day. Crowe and Prichard batted attractively, adding 82 for the 4th wicket before Prichard sliced to Hignett on the cover boundary for 61, scored off 48 balls.

Wood and Crowe added 61 for the 5th wicket before Crowe departed for 39. Wood, batting at his forceful best, took his score to 158 from 123 balls before charging Fisher to be stumped by yards and promptly declared at 365-8.

Fisher's return of 5-87 from 27.1 overs was just reward for his control of line and length on a batting paradise of a wicket.

The target of 423 in 51 overs was indeed a stiff one, but on a wicket that provided ideal batting conditions throughout, this equation was always going to be a difficult one, with a draw always the likely outcome.

Unexpectedly, Cheshire were soon on the back foot as wickets tumbled. Leech played loosely to be caught at slip and Din drove uppishly to be caught and bowled by Steve Bloyce. Bloyce sustained his pace and direction to trouble the batsmen. He had Hall caught behind, Hignett trapped lbw and at 108 for 6 with 14 overs remaining, a Berkshire win was on the cards.

James Whittaker and Mike Bolger had other ideas, taking the score to 143-7 before Whittaker was taken at short leg off Crowe. There was no further drama as Dave Pennett and Bolger batted out the last five overs, taking the score to 180-7 at stumps.

Bloyce finished with 5-58 off his 18 overs - a first 5 wicket haul for the young Finchampstead seam bowler.

Both sides take 10 points from the match. Berkshire lead the table jointly at this stage with 33 points, with Cheshire just 1 point behind.