WILTSHIRE produced a superb performance to beat Hertfordshire by four wickets on Sunday and reach the semi-final of the National Counties Cricket Association Trophy.

Ed Young's team have enjoyed a brilliant start to the season and will now face seven-time winners Berkshire at South Wilts CC on Sunday, July 16 for a place in the final at the picturesque Wormsley Park.

Last weekend, Hertfordshire won the toss and chose to bat on home soil, a decision which Wiltshire were more than happy with.

The hosts made a steady start, with openers Hassan Azad (47) and Dominic Chatfield (79) putting on 105 for the first wicket in 20 overs.

From there on in, Wiltshire produced a disciplined bowling performance to keep the batters in check. No other batter reached 30 until Andrew Neal (42 off 20 balls) produced some minor firewords at the end of the innings to take the final score up to 282-8.

The pick of the Wiltshire bowlers was captain Young (3-37 off his 10 overs), with good support from Arthur Godsal (2-51) and one wicket each for Josh Croom and Harry Broderick.

In response, Wiltshire made the worst possible start, losing Jake Goodwin to the first ball of the innings.

That early hiccup failed to affect Tom Cullen and Jack Mynott, though as Cullen smashed 80 while Mynott struck 48.

Once Mynott fell, Wiltshire continued to chug along nicely, and Ed Young (55 off 53 balls) joined Cullen to put on 88 for the third wicket.

Cullen fell with the score at 203, but Ben Draper (22), Josh Kelly (14), and Harry Broderick (42 not out off 28 balls) were able to see Wiltshire home with just five balls to spare.

Croom's small but vitally-imporant score of nine from four balls finished the job for Wiltshire and set them up with the formidable Berkshire in a fortnight's time.