Jonny Connell

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Berkshire crushed Cheshire by 112 runs in the National Counties Trophy final on Sunday, the ninth time they have won the competition.

Their man of the match was Finchampstead's Ben Salter, who scored 49 in his side's total of 210 before returning excellent figures of

6-1-11-4 as Cheshire were shot out for 98.

Salter, who is attached to the Hampshire Academy, also took a brilliant running catch on the long-on boundary.

"He’s an exceptional cricketer,” said head coach Bjorn Mordt.

After the first four wickets had fallen for 48 in 16 overs, 20-year-old Salter and Euan Woods added 104 runs for the fifth wicket before the latter fell for 59 and in the next over Salter was also caught when just one run short of a half-century, leaving it 158-6.

Toby Greatwood made 15 before Andrew MacEwen (29) and skipper Andy Rishton (9) were both run out, with the innings coming to an end at 210 in the 47th over.

The match played at Copdock & Old Ipswichian CC appeared to be finely balanced when Cheshire were 52-1 in the 12th over, but the departure of skipper Sam Perry for 23, run out by James Isbell's direct throw from the midwicket boundary, proved the turning point.

The Northerners lost their last nine wickets for 46 and were dismissed for 98, the second-lowest total in a Trophy final.

In addition to Salter's brilliant figures, Sulaiman Akhtar took 3-10 of 4.4 overs, Greatwood 1-27 and Woods 1-9.

Coach Mordt, who was captain when Berkshire lifted the Trophy in 2011, was full of praise for his players, commenting: “They are an incredible young team. We have had a bit of a rebuild with some new players coming in. For them to enjoy success in their first year is incredible.”

Last Friday, Berkshire lost by 79 runs to Hampshire in a 50/50 game at the Utilita Bowl Nursery Ground.

Hampshire made 349-7 in 50 overs with Fletcha Middleton making 106 and Ben Brown 80. Berks were restricted to 270, Johnny Connell scoring 79, James Isbell 78 and Charlie Dunnett 57.

Henley opener Connell has been signed by Somerset for their Metro Bank Cup campaign, which got underway this week.

He has been in sparkling form for Berkshire with a century against Sussex in a T20 Showcase match at Horsham in May, the real eye-catcher. He followed up with a century for Sussex’s 2nd XI against Northamptonshire last month, and he has also trialled with Essex and Hampshire this summer.

But it is Somerset who have given 23-year-old Connell his first professional contract, a short-term deal to cover the 50-overs competition while their squad is depleted by call-ups to The Hundred.