BERKSHIRE Over 60s fell to a 78-run defeat at unbeaten County Championship South Group leaders Middlesex at Hurley, writes Richard Ashton.

Openers Peter Cook and Keith Alexander put on 46 after the visitors chose to bat, but a useful spell from Chad Cudjoe (3-26 from nine overs) accounted for both of them as well as Nitin Modha to leave Middlesex 71-3.

Mike Stafford (68) and Simon Battersby put on 64 for the fourth wicket before the latter became the first of Ken Fuller’s (3-43) three victims, the Berkshire bowler also removing Neil Stevens and Stafford to make it 175-6.

Terry Braithwaite hit 36 from 30 balls to keep Middlesex going, but a useful spell of death bowling from Ian Harvey (3-47) kept the away side to 215-9 in their 45 overs.

Berkshire lost opener Richard West cheaply before captain Dave Tooze and Ronnie Brock took the score to 62, at which point the former was adjudged lbw to Nick Cooke.

David Brown was then run out and when Brock (34) departed, Berkshire were in trouble at 83-4.

Harvey and Fuller shared a handy fifth-wicket stand of 38, but once they were separated, the tail failed to wag and Berkshire were bowled out for 147.

Berkshire Over 60s 2nds also suffered defeat, going down to a four-wicket loss to Surrey at Bradfield.

Bill Munday (31) and Ian Stuart (26) gave Berkshire a solid platform at 57-1, but Colin Ainger (20) was the only other batsman to make double figures as they capitulated to 117-9 in 45 overs.

Two wickets for Simon Wilkinson had Surrey in a spot of bother at 43-2, but they steadied the ship and got home with eight overs to spare.

Wilkinson (3-36) was the pick of the attack, while Nino Trapani also secured a brace of stumpings while not conceding a bye in a fine performance behind the stumps.

Berkshire Over 50s lost by four wickets to Kent.

The visitors won the toss at the Mote and reached 28 before Gordon Morgan was caught by John Butterworth off Shaun McMurray.

The same bowler then castled Berkshire skipper Gary Loveday, albeit at the other end Nick Pitcher reached his half century.

His departure for 64 left the away side 126-4, and they could eventually only scramble to 184-9 in their 45 overs.

West made an early breakthrough to give Berkshire hope, and when John McDonald and David Hartley bowled Paul Gibson and Verinder Bhoombia respectively, the game was in the balance with Kent 71-3.

However, Tim Luckhurst (70) played the match-winning knock as Kent got home with 10 balls to spare, Richard O'Toole (2-42) the pick of the Berkshire bowlers.