BERKSHIRE completed a T20 double over Wiltshire at North Maidenhead CC on a sun-kissed Easter Sunday to retain the Marlborough Cup, winning the first game by 18 runs and the second by 72 runs, writes Dave Wright.

In the first, the Minor Counties T20 champions posted 154-6 with Andy Rishton hitting 42 off 29 balls and Euan Woods 41 off 34, while Tom Scriven made 27 on his senior debut for the county.

Woods followed up by taking 3-25 off four overs as Wiltshire were restricted to 136-7, skipper Ed Young remaining unbeaten on 57 from 48 balls. There was also a wicket apiece for Luke Beaven (1-21), making a welcome return to the Berkshire team, Rishton (1-17) and Scriven, also 1-17.

In game two, the hosts posted a respectable total of 205-3, with Dan Lincoln smashing 94 off 56 balls with three 6s and 11 fours and Scriven 61 not out from 35 deliveries, which saw him crack two 6s and six 4s.

The pair lifted the total from 44-2 to 181 in just 13 overs, much to the delight of the good-sized crowd at the Summerleaze ground.

It was the second Sunday in succession that big-hitting Finchampstead skipper Lincoln had been dismissed when just six runs short of his century.

Wiltshire – possibly wilting in the sun – were never able to make a serious contest of it, being contained to just 133-7, their top scorer being Jake Goodwin with 27.

Young spinner Rhodri Lewis, a new recruit to the Henley CC ranks, captured 3-26, with the other wickets being shared by Beaven (1-22), Scriven (1-32), Woods (1-25), all from four overs, and Savin Perera (1-14) from his two overs.

Following on from their exciting win over Middlesex 2nds at Wormsley a week earlier, Berkshire's are now unbeaten in three pre-season games.

Skipper James Morris commented: "At this early stage, it's nice to get some momentum going before the competitive stuff starts.

"It was good to see some of the key members of the team performing well and pleasing to see Tom Scriven come into the team and do well in all three disciplines."

Berkshire used 13 players over the two games – Andy Rishton, Euan Woods, Richard Morris, Tom Scriven, Stewart Davison, Rhodri Lewis, Ali Raja (all Henley), James Morris (Datchet), Ollie Wilkins (Ealing), Savin Perera (Attenborough, Nottingham), Dan Lincoln (Finchampstead), Luke Beaven (Reigate Priory), Toby Greatwood (Wargrave).

They complete their warm-up games this coming Sunday when they travel to Dunstable to play Bedfordshire.

Their next home game is against Buckinghamshire at Wargrave on Bank Holiday Monday, May 6, in the national T20 competition.

l BERKSHIRE Women's new-look team lost by 68 runs to Exeter University in a two-innings game at Falkland CC on Sunday.

Scores: Berkshire 89 all out (22ov; Bonnell 13; Dean 4-17) and 127-5 (24.2ov; Coppack 40, L Bell 24no); Exeter University 76-8 (25ov; Johnson 3-3) and 208-5 (25ov; Weir 46no, Extras 58).