Sophie Day and Heather Knight set up win for table-toppers Berkshire

Berkshire, who feature World Cup winners Knight and Anya Shrubsole, sit top of Division Two after a 36-run win over Durham

Scorecard

A half century from Australian overseas player Sophie Day set Berkshire up for a 36-run victory over Durhamfor the top side in Division Two of the Women’s County Championship.

Day, together with Emily Cunningham, got Berkshire off to a great start on the way to a hundred partnership – Cunningham hitting Rachel Petherick for two fours and a six in her second over, as the Beavers, whose batting has struggled of late, cantered to 50 for no loss off the first 10 overs.

After seven fours and one maximum, Cunningham was eventually undone by one that kept low from England Academy leg-spinner Helen Fenby, LBW for 41; but the left-handed Day went on to bring up her 50 in the 28th over with a pull through midwicket for two, before being bowled shortly afterwards by Hannah Knowles for 59.

England captain Heather Knight followed shortly afterwards, caught off a toe-edge for a nice 38, but with the score on 174 Berkshire were already in a very strong position.

With heavy drizzle coming down and the ball slipping around, spinner Laura Ellison struggled with her length, finding herself called for no balls for both high full tosses and double-bounces – but still managed to get the wicket of Anya Shrubsole, who plonked a full toss straight into the hands of Ami Campbell at mid off.

But a 40-run partnership between Lissy MacLeod and Amanda Potgieter took Berkshire past the 200 required for maximum batting bonus points. Potgieter was eventually clean-bowled for 15 by Hannah Knowles; but MacLeod continued to hit her way to 53 off 43 balls, helping Berkshire to a final total of 284 for six.

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In reply, Durham made it through the powerplay for the loss of just one wicket – Laura Hockaday LBW to Anya Shrubsole; but a second wicket followed almost immediately afterwards – Rachael Petherick also LBW to Phoebe Graham, leaving them 42 for two.

Durham kept wickets in hand, but the run rate was starting to climb, and by the time drinks were taken at 17 overs it had already hit an ominous seven-per-over.

Remarkably though Durham, who had just the one win coming into this match, were keeping up more or less with that rate, hitting at around seven-an-over to keep the chase in sight, as Rachel Hopkins and Becky Glen targeted cow corner with some lusty blows to put on 81 for the third wicket, until Glen became the third LBW dismissal of the innings to Kate Coppack.

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But the turning point came with the dismissal of Hopkins, who got to a half century before she went for one big shot too many against MacLeod, lost her balance and was stumped for 54.

As darkness began to descend upon both Durham and the greying skies above North Maidenhead CC, Ami Campbell (42) skied a slog-sweep towards Heather Knight at long off – the England captain making no mistake taking the catch; and Emily Cunningham took a brilliant one-handed catch at gully, leaping high and back to dismiss Laura Ellison off Phoebe Graham for 16.

Berkshire’s thoughts could then turn towards bonus points, which they duly reeled-in, Graham and Coppack finishing with three wickets each, as Durham closed on 249 for nine, with Berkshire taking a maximum 18 points from the game.

The Cricketer is syndicating CRICKETher's coverage of women's domestic cricket in England and Wales throughout the 2019 season