Charlie Walker guides Herefordshire to five0wicket win against Northumberland in MCCA KO Trophy at Brockhampton (From Hereford Times)

Charlie Walker guides Herefordshire to five0wicket win against Northumberland in MCCA KO Trophy at Brockhampton

10:00am Thursday 17th May 2012 in Sport By Richard Prime

A MATURE innings from teenager Charlie Walker guided Herefordshire to a five-wicket success against Northumberland in their MCCA KO Trophy clash at Brockhampton.

The Oxford MCCU student scored his maiden century for the county in a wellpaced run chase as they overhauled the 239 target with three balls to spare.

“We were reasonably at ease all the way through,”

said skipper Chris Boroughs. “But the key was an absolutely top knock by Charlie Walker. While he was there, it was always on the cards that we were going to win.”

Walker had come to the crease with the county side on 57-3 after Boroughs (28) had followed early victims Dave Exall and Steve Adshead back to the pavilion.

The 19-year-old joined forces in a 95-run stand with fellow Oxford UCCE student Ben Stebbings (53) to move the run-chase forward.

“While Ben and Charlie were together, we were cruising really,” said Boroughs.

“If Ben had stayed, I’m sure we would have won a little bit easier but if we had lost both of them then we would have been up against it.”

And when Stebbings was dismissed, aiming rashly over mid-wicket, debutant Phil Harris came in to assist in raising the scoring-rate as he added a further 68, of which he contributed a useful 28 before being run out inamisunderstanding.

“We couldn’t have asked any more of Phil,” said Boroughs. “He bowled economically for his 10 overs and got two vital wickets and a run-out.

“Then he did well with the bat, too — it was just unfortunate that he was run out.

It was a great start for him.”

Walker continued to produce some orthodox and innovative strokes as he progressed to 105 not out from 104 balls with nine fours and three sixes to guide his side home.

Earlier, Herefordshire had done well to peg back the visitors who had been 160-2 at one point.

Harris (2-33), Freddie Eburah (2-45) and Callum Stewart (2-38) all picked up a brace of wickets but there were other tidy contributions with the ball to restrict the north-east county to 239-9 from their 50 overs.

Herefordshire will be without Stebbings and Walker due to university commitments at Cheshire on Sunday when they must win to have any prospect of progressing to the knockout stages. Josh Banks and Mick Hill come in.