Staffordshire and Berkshire shared the NCCA Championship title after the final ended in a draw.
Staffs were set an improbable 383 to win from a minimum of 55 overs on the last day at West Bromwich Dartmouth.
They were never likely to have a dart at such a steep target and instead focused their energies on ensuring that they batted out for a draw.
As it was, they did so in extreme comfort, reaching 142-2 before captains James Kettleborough and Dan Lincoln shook hands.
Morris was unbeaten on 63, with Kettleborough finishing on 36 not out.
There was an element of frustration from a Berkshire perspective as a total of 130 overs were lost to the weather over the four days.
That trend continued on day four as heavy overnight rain meant that the Sandwell Park outfield remain unfit until 1pm.
‘Batting on’
At that point Berkshire continued their second innings, which had seen them reach 168-2 at the end of day three.
That gave them a lead of 267 – and it was just a question of how many runs they would set Staffs to win and leave themselves enough overs to bowl their rivals out.
In the past, any games without a positive result would see the winners determined by whoever held a first-innings lead.
But over the winter, counties voted to scrap that rule and revert back to sharing the trophy if the contest ended in a draw.
And once Berkshire opted to bat on for longer than they might have needed to, the draw always became the firm favourite.
Berkshire desperately required to make the new ball count if they were to secure a sixth outright title since 2015.
‘Solid start’
However, they didn’t find a breakthrough as Staffordshire openers Tom Moulton and Matt Morris easily saw their side through that particular passage of play.
The pair kept their concentration superbly as they guided Staffs to 53-0 at tea – leaving them 80 minutes and then the final overs to navigate to ensure it was honours even.
Moulton and Morris continued their alliance into the evening session, but were eventually parted in the 32nd over, with the scoreboard on 75.
Moulton, who made 30, was the man to depart as he nicked a delivery from spinner Rhys Lewis to keeper Daniel O’Driscoll.
And Berkshire had their second scalp soon after when Callum Hawkins was bowled by slow left-armer Luke Beaven for nine,
Berkshire might have sensed an opportunity then, but Morris proved to be Staffordshire’s anchor, while skipper Kettleborough joined him to pick off runs at will.
The Staffs pair had men crowded around the bat as the Royal County looked to pick up a couple of swift wickets before the final 17 overs of the contest.
‘Time ticking down’
As it was, Staffs started the final hour with Morris and Kettleborough still in residence.
Earlier in the day, Berkshire saw Lewis and Charlie Dunnett resume their partnership which had taken total control of the contest.
The late start due to the weather didn’t necessarily help their cause, but they held all the aces as the crowd speculated as to what sort of target might be set.
Lewis reached his century, hitting 11 fours and one six, while Dunnett also closed in on three figures.
However, having made 97, he was caught by Kettleborough off Sam Atkinson to leave Berkshire on 243-3.
That seemed to be the ideal time to declare to possibly dangle a carrot in Staffordshire’s direction.
‘Still batting’
Staffordshire’s fielding left a fair bit to be desired at times as Berkshire belated moved through the gears, but at least time was being taken from the game.
Lincoln emerged from the pavilion to spank an 11-ball 37 not out, which contained three fours and three sixes.
And one of those maximums would have endangered passing traffic on the M5 as the Berkshire captain had some late fun.
Lincoln eventually decided enough was enough, with Lewis on 105 not out, but they had virtually killed the chance of either side winning.
The West Bromwich Dartmouth surface hadn’t change significantly enough to provide any demons to Staffs’ batsmen in the closing stages of the contest.
Even with an impressive attack like Berkshire’s, it was also going to be a tough ask for them to run through their opponents in the time left.
As it was, the final few overs proved to be nothing more than a net session for Staffs before the time came when time could be called.
‘Honours even’
For Berkshire, they will feel that the amount of weather had cost them an outright win, especially after dominating the majority of the match.
Staffordshire had their chances, most notably on the first day when they reduced their rivals to 109-5.
However, centuries from Johnny Connell and Josh Lincoln pushed Berkshire to 382 all out.
And they then established a 99-run first-innings lead to leave Staffordshire on the back foot.
Staffs will take a huge amount of heart from the fact that they managed to repel, with comfort, Berkshire’s attack on the final afternoon.
Their cause was helped by not having to face they amount of overs they may have envisaged at the start of the day.
It was the first shared title since Cheshire and Suffolk couldn’t be separated back in 2005.
Staffordshire won’t care, though, as the shared accolade maintained their position as the most successful side in NCCA Championship history.
Staffs have won the title 14 times – 12 outright and now two shared – to leave them as the frontrunners in terms of red-ball success.
This isn’t the end of matters, however. The two sides meet again on Sunday in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 Cup at Chester Boughton Hall.
And there’s one thing for sure, the outcome of that match won’t be a draw.
Main image: Staffordshire captain James Kettleborough and Berkshire skipper Dan Lincoln receive the NCCA Championship trophy from sponsor Christian Durant of Duran Cricket.
