HEREFORDSHIRE were no match for the reigning MCCA T20 Champions Berkshire when they were thrashed by 118 runs in their final group game at Falkland CC near Newbury.

The day was supposed to feature a double-header but the first game was abandoned after morning rain further dampened an already wet pitch.

The conditions relented to allow the second scheduled match to start at 2.15pm with Herefordshire skipper Matt Pardoe winning the toss and electing to field.

Dan Lincoln smashed 32 off just 18 balls to give the home side a flying start before he was pinned lbw by paceman Riecko Parker-Cole (2-21) at 46-1.

Two balls later, the left-armer struck again when he had Tom Scriven caught by Pardoe at deep mid-off.

Jack Davies (55), Richard Morris (27) and Andy Rishton (32) all made substantial contributions to the home total which continued to mount despite some athletic and enthusiastic Herefordshire fielding.

Pardoe, who conceded just 20 from his three overs, was the most economical of the Herefordshire bowlers as the home side finished with 173-5 from their 20 overs.

Any thoughts the visitors may have had of chasing down a challenging target had evaporated after just 10 balls of their innings by which time three wickets – Oli Rogoff, Jamie Harrison and Tom Cummins – had all fallen.

If it was possible, things got worse with a calamitous run-out of Tom Hage and Benny Ellis-Dabrowski holing out to mid-on.

At 6-5, a record low seemed possible and absolute humiliation was still on the cards at 23-7 and then 30-9.

Of those meagre runs, debutant wicket-keeper Richard Hardwick had contributed 11.

Finally, last-wicket pair Alex Russell (five not out) and

Parker-Cole, whose shot selection in his unbeaten 18 shows he should not feature as low as number 11 too often in the future, restored a little respectability, almost doubling the total as they progressed to a final total of 55-9.

Berkshire will again be Herefordshire’s opponents this weekend when they visit Colwall for the first three-day championship game of the season.