BERKSHIRE face a must-win game in the Unicorns Trophy when they take on Oxfordshire at Wargrave CC on Sunday (11am).
Having lost their opening group tie to Dorset, they suffered more frustration last Sunday when their game against Cornwall at Truro was rained off without a ball bowled, while much of the country was bathed in sunshine.
It leaves Berkshire on just one point with two games remaining β home to Oxon and away to Devon.
Skipper James Morris is hoping to play after dislocating his left thumb during the defeat by Dorset.
A second X-ray revealed it was not broken as well, but Morris said: βThe joint is still pretty unstable, but with a few more days to heal, some strapping and painkillers I might be able to play.β
Berkshire defeated Oxon in a particularly nail-biting contest in the Trophy last season by one wicket after Matt Carter (47no) and Tom Nugent (11no) had shared a last-wicket stand of 32.
Oxon also need to win on Sunday if they are to be in with a chance of reaching the knock-out stages as they lost their opening game to Devon by five wickets at Wormsley last weekend.
Their team includes all-rounder Harry Stephens (pictured bowling), who switched from Berkshire in the close season, having also signed for Home Counties Premier League Division Two side Oxford CC.
Oxon have also signed Wantage-based George Munsey, who opened the batting for Scotland in the ICC World T20 in India earlier this year.
Berkshire squad: Michael Roberts (Henley), Waqas Hussain (Slough), Martin Andersson (Reading), Richard Morris (Henley), James Morris (Datchet), Andy Rishton (Finchampstead), Euan Woods (Henley), Chris Peploe (Datchet), Stewart Davison (wkt, Henley), Matt Carter (Finchampstead), Tom Nugent (Henley), Ali Akbar (Slough).
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