HEREFORDSHIRE begin their three-day Minor Counties Championship campaign on Sunday when they host Cheshire at Brockhampton.

They will, however, be without skipper Matt Pardoe, who is a teacher at Sherborne School and has a school commitment this weekend.

In his absence, Liam Gwynne will captain the side.

Some of the other players who featured in the Unicorns Trophy one-day competition which started the season will also be absent with David Ball, Chris Whittock and Neil Pinner all unavailable as well as seamer Jamie McIlroy.

This is likely to bring second Xl players such as Jamie Harrison, Tom Hage and Benny Ellis-Dabrowski into contention for promotion to the first team.

Herefordshire will also be hoping that the Brockhampton duo Joe Crichard and Ian Bullock will continue the good form they showed in the one-day competition.

In the last game against Shropshire, Crichard scored a maiden minor counties half-century while Bullock (47 not out) compiled his highest score at this level.

Meanwhile, the 2nd Xl opened their programme with a four-wicket defeat against their Berkshire counterparts at Wokingham on Sunday.

The county side were invited to bat after losing the toss and although there were some early blows from Harrison, wickets went down quickly with Adam Wiffen, Oliver Rogoff, Greg Leighton and Harrison all back in the pavilion with only 49 on the board.

Ellis-Dabrowski and skipper Peter Burgoyne began a fightback but, when they were both dismissed in quick succession, Herefordshire, at 73-6, looked like failing to reach three figures.

However, Taylor Pugh grafted well for his 15 while Hage struck four boundaries in his 23.

Charlie Scott, who produced Herefordshire's best batting of the day with an unbeaten 32, then joined forces with Sam Charles (18) and the pair kept the score moving along well until the innings closed at 180.

In response, the home side reached 33 before Leighton ran out James Bird for 10.

The Bromyard seamer subsequently dismissed Dan Lincoln, whose 58 included four fours and three sixes, and Sam Burgess (33) with the help of catches by Burgoyne and Charles respectively in his spell of 2-62.

Burgoyne, who bowled economically to return 1-34 from 10 overs and Ellis, with 2-10 from four overs, also picked up wickets but the home side reached their target from the first ball of the 37th over.