Berkshire produced a dominant performance to clinch a 130-run victory in Sunday’s Metro Bank One Day Cup – Women’s League 3 final at Kibworth CC.
Eighteen-year-old captain Izzy Storrar led the charge, collecting 54 runs from 86 balls as Berkshire closed their innings on 214/7.
Then Freya Johnson (3/10) and Shayna Chikhlia (4/7), who have both been outstanding all season for Berkshire, helped limit Devon’s response to just 84 all out in 25.3 overs.
Storrar said: “It was just a great day. We knew playing Devon would be tough. They were a dominating team throughout the league campaign, so we knew we just had to do what we do best and stick to the basics.”
She added: “I was happy on a personal level with my own performance, but it was just about stepping in when I needed to.”
After witnessing the rise of Johnson and Chikhlia first-hand, Storrar believes Berkshire could continue their progress in the coming years.
She said: “We’ve got quite a young team, and it’s been great to see the progress people have made this year. We’ve really bonded over the season, so next year will definitely be exciting. Our new caps have stepped up whenever we’ve faced challenges, and that’s been a big positive throughout the summer.”
She added: “Next year we’ll definitely look to push higher in the T20 competition, as well as really try to replicate our strong performances in the 50-over fixtures.”
Devon captain Steph Hutchins was philosophical in defeat. She said: “We felt like we came off the field in a really good position: we’ve chased over 200 multiple times this summer. Unfortunately, the top three didn’t really score and a few executions didn’t quite go our way. But that’s just how it goes sometimes. I’m massively pleased with our season overall.”
Consistent excellence from players like Katie Donovan, who took wickets in every game she played, and Elle Golsworthy, who registered more than 400 runs this summer, has given Hutchins lots of reasons to be hopeful for 2026.
“To finish with only three losses all season is exceptional,” she said. “It gives us massive confidence for next year. We know how that we can reach both the T20 and 50-over finals, and we’ll aim to push even further in 2026. We’ll just keep building.”
She added: “The women’s game at Tier 3 is certainly improving. It’s become much more competitive, with more Academy and Tier 1 players dropping back. That raises the standard, and the more they play in Tier 3, the stronger women’s cricket becomes overall.”