BERKSHIRE’S miserable Unicorns Championship campaign ended with a four-wicket defeat to Devon in a game they dominated for large periods.

The Royal County enjoyed the better of the opening day - as well as the majority of the second - before an all too familiar batting collapse gifted the initiative to their opponents.

Captain James Morris (88) and his younger brother Richard (59) had put Berkshire into a good position as they reached 304-9 in their 90 overs on Sunday, and Harry Stephens claimed an early wicket to leave the hosts 26-1 overnight.

And things got better for Berkshire the following day as the recalled Steve Naylor (3-37) and Henley’s Matt Carter (4-50) - who opted to play for his county rather than club side this week - left Devon in disarray at 83-6 in their first innings.

However the hosts’ skipper Josh Bess (38) and late call-up Will Sobczak (30) took their side to the relative highs of 163 - albeit conceding 141 on first innings as Waqas Hussain claimed 2-25.

However, as happened in their opening Championship game against Cornwall - when Berks lost after enforcing the follow on - they could not capitalise after getting into a winning position.

Harry Stephens was trapped leg before wicket from the first ball of Berkshire’s second innings, and they fell to 21-2 when Morris Sr was bowled.

However Simon Macey (20) and Morris Jr (22) appeared to be leading their side to a dominant position before they floundered against spinner Craig Miles on the second evening.

None of the middle or lower order could cope with his bowling as they lost eight wickets for 34 runs to crash to 86 all out, with Miles claiming 5-9 in 12.3 overs - ably supported by Trevor Anning (4-41).

Devon started their pursuit of 228 in fine style and raced to 86 as opening pair Rob Holman and Barney Huxtable continued to turn the game in their side’s favour until the latter was removed by Datchet’s Naylor.

Captain Morris then brought himself into the attack and it took just five balls before he trapped Max Curtis leg before as Devon closed on 109-2 to set up an intriguing final day.

And Berkshire made a fantastic start as Naylor (3-62) grabbed two early wickets to reduce Devon to 122-4.

But Holman moved past his half century and shared a 51 run stand with Matt Golding before the latter became 17-year-old Finchampstead starlet Callum Gregory’s maiden victim.

Holman himself was then bowled by Stephens to leave Devon rocking on 182-6 and still requiring 46 to win.

However as hard as Berkshire tried they were unable to claim another success and Sobczak (35*) and Anning (22*) guided their side home.

The result means that Berkshire finish bottom of the Western Division of the Unicorns Championship.

They lost narrowly to Cornwall, before securing a hard fought draw at Wales Minor Counties, but then suffered heavy defeats to Wiltshire and Herefordshire.

Berkshire were in trouble yet picked up a draw in a rain-affected game with Oxfordshire, but end the season winless following the latest disappointing reverse.

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