Herefordshire missed the chance to make up ground on Western Division leaders
Oxfordshire when they succumbed to a seven-wicket defeat by Wiltshire at
Luctonians.
With Oxfordshire losing to Dorset at Dean Park, Herefordshire could have
stolen a march at the head of the regional table, but instead they now lie
third with 90 points behind Oxfordshire (95) and Dorset (92). They play
Oxfordshire at Thame this coming Sunday and Monday.
Herefordshire rallied from 54 for six to 165 for eight in their second
innings, but Wiltshire then raced to a 200 target as Roger Sillence (106 not
out) and Russell Rowe (65 not out) launched into the Herefordshire bowling in
an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 171 in 31 overs.
Tim Lamb (64 not out) and Darren Cowley (50 not out) piloted Dorset home
against Oxfordshire, with Cowley having earlier matched Vyvian Pike's figures
of four for 30.
Shropshire added to Devon's fall from grace at Budleigh Salterton when they
dismissed the home side for 125 to clinch a 101-run victory. Former
Nottinghamshire seamer Kevin Evans (four for 50) and ex-Warwickshire man Asif
Din (three for eight) did the damage after Ben Platt (59) and Adam Shimmons
(42) had shared a Shropshire record ninth-wicket partnership of 118 towards
Shropshire's 230 all out.
David Ward hit 83 for Hertfordshire, whose second innings total of 320 for
eight put the game beyond reach of Bedfordshire at Dunstable, while a
low-scoring opening day at Lakenham saw Cambridgeshire skipper Ajaz Akhtar
plunder eight for 44 - the best bowling in the championship this season - and
nine wickets in the day against Norfolk.
Minor Counties Championship
Budleigh Salterton: Shrops 224-9 & 230 (BWW Platt 59, AJ Procter 6-77) Devon 228-5 & 125 (KP Evans 4-50) Shrops (20) beat Devon (8) by 101 runs
Oxton: Cheshire 223-2 & 28-2 Wales 156. Match abandoned - rain. Cheshire 7 Wales 1
Dean Park (Bournemouth): Oxon 232-3 & 190 (CA Haupt 72, DJ Cowley 4-30, VJ Pike 4-30) Dorset 247-5 & 176-3 (TCZ Lamb 64 not, DJ Cowley 50 not) Dorset
(21) beat Oxon (5) by 7 wickets
Dunstable: Herts 207-7 & 320-8 (DM Ward 83) Beds 225-3 & 246-8 (W Larkins 70) Drawn. Beds 7 Herts 4
Luctonians (Kingsland): Hereford 294-7 & 165-8 Wilts 260-6 (SM Perrin 90, RJ Bates 52 not) & 200-3 (RJ Sillence 106 not, RJ Rowe 65 not) Wilts (21) beat Hereford (4) by 7 wickets
Millom: Cumberland v Suffolk. No play yesterday - rain.
Lakenham: Norfolk 123 (A Akhtar 8-44) & 6-1 Cambs 156 (S Mohammed 53, AR
Clarke 5-48)