BERKSHIRE are the early pacemakers in Division One of the ECB Women’s County T20 competition, writes Dave Wright.

The Beavers won both their opening games at Wokingham CC’s Sadlers End ground last Sunday – defeating Kent in a last-ball thriller and then Lancashire by a comfortable 36 runs.

Berkshire were missing their inspirational captain, Heather Knight, due to her England commitments, but Lissy Macleod proved more than a capable deputy.

Berkshire got their day under way by defeating Kent by six wickets.

Chasing a target of 96, they needed two runs off the final ball.

Amanda Potgieter and Macleod scrambled a single, but a misfield enabled them to take a second run and win the game.

Macleod remained unbeaten on 15 and Potgieter 11.

Earlier, Rachel Priest had made 38 on her debut and Alex Rogers 20, with the pair having added 56 for the second wicket.

The game had started well for the host county with Linsey Smith bowling Charlotte Edwards for just two in her second over.

Smith (2-10 off four overs) also had New Zealander Susie Bates caught by Priest for 18.

Alison Davidson-Richards (26) and ex-England star Lydia Greenway (16) took the score along to 54, but they were the last batters to reach double figures with Macleod (2-9) and Fi Morris (2-16) restricting Kent to 95-8. The other wicket-taker was Potgieter with 1-19.

Macleod again won the toss against Lancs, but this time decided to bat first.

The host county did not start too well, losing Priest for nine, and were struggling against some tight bowling.

They had only 35-3 on the board at the half-way stage, and later slipped to 42-5 as all their top five batters were dismissed for single figures.

But Smith and Potgieter accelerated the scoring, adding 32 for the sixth wicket in five overs.

Potgieter was stumped for 12, but Smith went on to make 29 not out, taking Berkshire to a respectable 91-6.

Morris took two wickets in her second over and one more in her next to leave Lancashire 20-3 and she completed her four overs with 3-21. The northerners never recovered with Fi then running out their top scorer, Emma Lamb, for 26 in the 11th over.

Macleod and Hardy then took a wicket apiece to make the score 51-6. The seventh wicket went down at 55, as did the next three without any addition to the total and Lancs were all out for 55 in the 17th over.

Hardy finished with impressive figures of 2-1-3-3, while Macleod had 2-9.

“It was a good day for us,” said head coach Aftab Habib.

“The girls played exceptionally well against a Kent side containing two ex-internationals.

“We were not so good against Lancashire and there were areas where we will need to improve on. We dropped a couple of catches and run outs. We got away with them today, but against stronger opponents it may have been a different story.”