BERKSHIRE clinched the Western Division title in sensational style at Finchampstead on Monday, beating Dorset by 327 runs after pace bowler Ollie Wilkin had taken the last four wickets with successive deliveries, writes Dave Wright.

Having made 351 (Waqas Hussain 145, James Morris 100) in their first innings on Sunday, they bowled out Dorset for just 96 with Tom Nugent taking 7-40, career best figures for the county.

Berkshire, deciding not to enforce the follow on, then posted 156-6 declared (James Morris 48, Ollie Wilkin 32) off 26 overs on Monday to take their lead to 411.

Dorset, coached by former Berkshire player Paul Prichard, fared even worse in their second innings, being shot out for just 84 in 44 overs, with Wilkin clean bowling two batsmen and trapping the other two lbw.

Wilkin finished with 4-16 off 7.4 overs, while Nugent took 3-26 for outstanding match figures of 10-66.

It was the fifth time Berkshire have lifted the Western Division title, having last won it 2008.

With runners-up Cornwall suffering a shock 10-wicket defeat to Devon also inside two days, Berkshire finished 22 points clear at the top of the table with four wins and two draws It means they have now gone through two seasons without losing in the Unicorns Championship.

There were plenty of celebrations on the pitch after the game, but captain James Morris reminded his players that they should regard this as “only the semi-final” as next up is the play-off for the national title.

“We want to go on and win the whole thing,” he said.

“We have been comfortably the best team in this division and now we want to be the best team in the whole of the minor counties.”

Morris emphasised that it has been a “complete team effort” but he did single out Wilkin following his four-wicket haul.

“We had earmarked Ollie to mop up the tail-end, though we didn’t expect it to happen quite as quickly as it did,” added the skipper.

“The ball was reverse swinging. It is one thing knowing it is, but bowling four balls in a row that are threatening the stumps is very skillful.”

The play-off will be against either Northumberland or Lincolnshire from the Eastern Division at the Wormsley ground (near High Wycombe) on August 28-31.

  • READING CC youngster Kishore Naha took five wickets in a group match as Berkshire won the Shrewsbury Schools under-12 Cricket Festival without losing a game.

They defeated Cheshire in the T20 final, having earlier won Group A.

Charlie Dunnett collected the top batting award while Naha shared the bowling award with Isaac Brooks of Cheshire.