Minor Counties Championship Round Up

Hertfordshire's David Ward rattled up the highest championship score of the season with a majestic 202 not out against Norfolk at Lakenham.

Ward, the 39-year-old former Surrey strokemaker, was in imperious form, with 10 sixes and 16 fours in an innings spanning 167 balls. It lifted Hertfordshire to a formidable 295 for four off 49.5 overs, but rain then intervened to curtail the Norfolk reply on 19 without loss off six overs. David Womble's highest championship score of the season supplied Staffordshire with some much-needed ballast against Suffolk at Leek. His 44 rallied the Staffordshire batting after their top order had been blown away by Suffolk's Gary Kirk (four for 58). They recovered from 58 for four to 177 for seven off 47 overs.

Suffolk's 205 for eight off 61.5 overs had been a similarly uneven affair after they had slipped to 49 for three. Russell Catley (44) and Chris Warn (77) both prospered from dropped catches to prop up the East Anglian side with a stand of 118.

In the Western Division, Shropshire experienced the highs and lows when they capitulated to a crushing 146-run defeat against Cornwall at Camborne. Just 48 hours after celebrating a famous win over Devon at Budleigh Salterton, they finished their four-day tour with their tails between their legs - after being well and truly Shrecked!

Charlie Shreck, the Cornwall paceman, produced a stunning spell of seam bowling that dismantled Shropshire for a calamitous 95. Shreck finished with seven for 41 off 15 overs, his best figures in the championship.

Minor Counties Championship
Camborne: Cornwall 188 & 249-5 (GM Thomas 101, JM Hands 66, BP Price 53) Shrops 196-9 & 95 (CE Shreck 7-41) Cornwall (20) beat Shrops (6) by 146 runs
Lakenham: Herts 295-4 (DM Ward 202 not out) Norfolk 19-0
Leek: Suffolk 205-8 (CT Warn 77) Staffs 177-7 (GM Kirk 4-58)