ECB 38 County Round Up
Cheshire and Herefordshire will battle out this season's ECB 38- County Cup final at Lord's on Wednesday August 30
Mike Berry
10-Aug-2000
Cheshire and Herefordshire will battle out this season's ECB 38-
County Cup final at Lord's on Wednesday August 30.
The two Western Division rivals secured contrasting semi-final
passages, with Cheshire defeating Norfolk by 77 runs at Lakenham
and Herefordshire squeezing to a tight seven-run verdict over
Berkshire at Kington.
A bumper crowd at Lakenham - to witness what was Norfolk's
Lakenham swansong before they relocate their base to Horsford CC
in time for next season - saw Cheshire's Paul Bryson (63) and
Neil Cross (52) share an opening stand of 99 to underpin their
side's 224 for eight off 50 overs.
Off-spinner Chris Brown then took three for 24 as Norfolk
collapsed from 50 without loss to 147 all out.
At Kington, Berkshire were six for three in reply to
Herefordshire's 203 for nine, but a brilliant 77 from Simon Myles
revived them to 168 for five in the 43rd over. But his dismissal
was the turning point and the visitors were bowled out for 196
off the penultimate ball.
Karl Pearson, a part-time bowler forced to take a leading role in
the absence of James Brinkley, John Shaw and Paul Thomas,
finished with three for 41. Herefordshire's 203 for nine had been
built around Paul Lazenbury's 50, with Chris Boroughs (38) and
Nathan Round (36 not out) also chipping in.
ECB 38-County Cup semi-finals:
Kington: Herefordshire 203-9 (50 overs, PS Lazenbury 50)
Berks 196 (49.5 overs, SD Myles 77) Herefordshire won by 7 runs.
Lakenham: Cheshire 224-8 (50 overs, PRJ Bryson 63, ND
Cross 52) Norfolk 147 (43.5 overs) Cheshire won by 77 runs.