Sparkling Perry hits ton on day 1

Western Division 1 Championship Day 1: Cheshire 287 (87 overs), Berkshire 104-5 (23 overs). Berkshire trail by 183 runs with 5 wickets remaining

Scoreboard & video highlights

Sam Perry hit a fine 102 as Cheshire enjoyed a productive first day in the Nantwich sunshine. And having been dismissed for 287, Harry Dearden's side then snatched five Berkshire wickets in the last session.

After being thumped  by Oxfordshire in their first outing two weeks ago,Cheshire re-grouped to build on last week's fine Showcase win against Derbyshire.

There were Championship debuts for Widnes pair Rohan Luthra and Luke McCoy, along with Lindow's Dan Newton and Northern's Dan Wilson.

Dearden won the toss on what looked a pretty flat track but lost Tom Hafil early and Henry Dobson with the score on 42.

Luke Young - a Hyde centurion 24 hours earlier - was enjoying himself however but once out for 38, it was McCoy, representing Cheshire for the first time since playing for the Development Squad twelve years ago, who teamed up with Perry to add a 131 for the fourth wicket and transform the innings. His assured 46 was just what the doctor ordered as was Dearden's 40.

Perry reached his second Championship 100 from 180 balls and struck eleven 4s but once he and Luthra had departed, hopes of a 350 plus total subsided as the tail surrendered cheaply, Luke Beaven's slow left arm bagged 5-73 from 23 overs.

287 marked a substantial improvement from last time round for Cheshire, Importantly taking up 87 of the 90 allocated overs.

Cheshire then enjoyed a fruitful opening spell as they tore into the league leaders to reduce them to 48-5. Young looked a real menace taking 3-33, moving the ball impressively. A wicket too for George Valentine and Xander Selby.

It was left to Rhodri Lewis and Dan O'Driscoll to then lead the fightback as Berkshire closed on 104-5.

Play resumes on Monday morning from 11am.