Oaks chase Div 3a title
WOKINGHAM 2s have taken the Division 3a title chase to the final week after thrashing Cove 2s by 10 wickets.
The Oaks, whose first team have already won the Division 1 title, moved top of 3a with this win to set up a title showdown with second-placed Wargrave on Saturday.
There are now 13 points between the two sides after Wokingham’s dominant display in their game in hand, bowling Cove out for 111 with youngsters Toby Barker (3-11) and Calum Creighton (3-12) the pick of the bowlers.
And opening pair Simon Carter (59no) and Rahul Patel (36no) got the job done with the bat.
In the same league, FINCHAMPSTEAD 3s won a thriller against Falkland 2s by just four runs.
Finches, who sit third and could still win promotion, batted first and posted a total of 229-8 with Richard Reed (71) and Sam Taylor (55) top scoring.
But Falkland would not go down without a fight, reaching 225 before being bowled out with Michael O’Donohue (4-86) the pick of the bowlers.
Up in Division 1, FINCHAMPSTEAD 2s are exiting with a flourish, beating Falkland by 78 runs.
Despite relegation already being confirmed after just one season, Finches impressed on home soil.
After a slow start with the bat, tail-enders Darron Augustus (41) and regular first team seamer Anthony Parson (29no) pushed the score up to a competitive 194.
And Augustus led the way with the ball, posting figures of 4-46 to dismiss Falkland for 116, comfortably short of the target.
EVERSLEY are still fourth in 2a after a seven-wicket win over Windsor.
Andrew Niblett (3-19) and Chris Last (3-38) helped bowl out the hosts for 208 before big knocks from James Magowan (62) and Phil Wise (54no) clinched the win.
Jason Pennisi’s knock of 75 came in vain as SONNING were beaten by HURST in 2b.
Rock-bottom Sonning batted first, bowled out for 197 despite Pennisi’s 75 and 37 from Raja Rafaqat.
Floyd Na Nagara’s 41 helped Hurst after the restart before unbeaten knocks from Usman Ijaz (56) and Tim Walder (48) sealed victory.
EVERSLEY 2s have been relegated from 4a after a sevenwicket loss to Teddington
Town.
Batting first, Eversley closed out their overs with a score of 222-9 after half centuries from Paul Ager (57) and Will Perkin (59).
But Teddington eased to the target to leave Eversley adrift at the foot of the table.
WARGRAVE 2s secured their 5b status with a six-wicket win over Slough 4s.
In a battle of two struggling sides, defeat would have left Wargrave in serious dangerous of relegation, but brilliant bowling figures of 7-11 from Martin Smith helped bowl out Slough for 101, a target easily chased down.
Gary Fleming scored a half century as WOKINGHAM 3s edged past Maidenhead and Bray 2s by eight runs.
Fleming’s 54 and 40 from David Healey helped the Oaks close on 212-9, which proved to be just about enough as Cameron Gillespie (3-50) was the pick of the bowlers to dismiss the visitors for 204.
SONNING 2s are Division 6b champions after an eightwicket win over Aldershot 3s.
Kevan Smith’s 3-11 was the pick of the bowling as Aldershot were bowled out for 151, a target which Naqash Tahir (48) made a serious dent in before Dan Anderson (53no) saw them over the line.
FINCHAMPSTEAD 4s’ promotion hopes were hit by a seven-wicket loss against HURST 2s.
Matt Morrison was the star of the show with the Hurst bowler recording figures of 6-32 as Hurst bowled out Finch for 132 before chasing it down.
Finches now sit third heading into the final week, 15 points off the top two.
EVERSLEY 3s could still get sucked into the 7a relegation zone after a 71-run loss at
Fleet 2s, while knocks of 45 and 42 from Raj Acharya and Simon Neate respectively could not prevent defeat for WOKINGHAM 4s at Newbury
2s.
FINCHAMPSTEAD 5s had a day to forget in 8a, losing by 10 wickets to Bagshot 3s. Elsewhere, Waqas Tahir’s figures of 5-21 helped SONNING 3s to victory over Royal Ascot 4s.
WARGRAVE 3s kept their
9a title hopes alive with a convincing 120-run victory over Newbury 3s.
Matt Townson’s unbeaten knock of 134 and a 61 from Taran Sohi helped Wargrave to 251-2 before they declared.
And fine bowling by Andrew Hattey (3-29) helped bowl Newbury out for 131.