CHESHIRE'S hopes of victory in their opening three-day Minor County Championship match with Berkshire were dashed by rain.

The defending Western Division champions were well in control on the final day of action, needing just seven wickets for victory at Chester Boughton Hall before rain brought a premature halt to proceedings.

'It's very frustrating, but there's not much you can do when it rains,' said Cheshire skipper Andy Hall.

'I felt we've always been in control of this game and Berkshire were never going to win on the last day.

'If we'd have got a few more wickets, quick ones ideally, then I'd have fancy our chances of getting a win.'

Hall's team led the former MCCA Knockout Cup winners by 242 runs and, with a superb debut century from Hyde's James Duffy - who also scored an unbeaten 98 in the first innings - Berkshire were left a daunting winning target of 402 to win on the last day.

Nathan Dumelow (57) and first innings centurion Nick Cantello (48) were also in the runs as Cheshire, having been 145-3 overnight, put their foot on the gas and declared at 304-6 - scoring an additional 159 runs in 25 overs.

Dumelow took just 46 balls for his quick-fire half-century, which included seven fours and two sixes.

Berkshire had reached 121-3 half an hour before tea, still needing 282 runs for victory in under two sessions of play, when the heavens opened and the hosts were denied the chance to force a victory.

And although victory would have been the perfect start to the season, with Hall and his ambitious charges looking to win the Minor Counties Championship title outright, the county skipper took plenty of positives from his side's performance.

'We've had three players make centuries and others bat well, and then Nathan Dumelow showed again what a class act he is with the ball by taking seven wickets,' added Hall.

'There have been some excellent performances throughout the team - and it was great to see us be so commanding in our first game of the season.

'Berkshire are one of the toughest sides around at the moment and we knew it was going to be a tough match. On another day, and if the weather had stayed fine, then we might have grabbed a win.'