The 2025 Home Counties Premier League, Division Two season started and fulfilled all its expected excitement.
The league’s curtain-raiser saw four of the five games won by sides batting second, in the first of the four scheduled limited over fixtures. The middle nine games will be timed, before the final five matches return to the white ball game.
In looking for an immediate return to Division one, Wokingham started their campaign with an impressive 227-run victory over Falkland.
The home side’s batters harvested runs after new skipper Tom Hampton had won the toss and invited the visitors to field.
Imran Malik top scored with 96, while Shaan Khan (84), Michael Cowdell (57) and Sulaiman Javed (35) all found early season form. Wokingham posted 364 for 7 from their 50 overs. Mark Otley took three for 70 from eight overs for Falkland.
In reply, the Thames Valley League, Division One Champions were always in for a tough chase, which proved to be correct as they struggled to build any much-needed partnerships. Chris Baker’s 34 the highest score for the league newcomers, as the pace of Hampton claimed four for 12 from 5.1 overs as they eventually dismissed their opponents for 137 all out.
Slough recorded an impressive eight-wicket win over Datchet at the Eddie Thompson Oval.
It was the visitors who w0n the toss and decided to bat first with Rahim Akhtar impressing from an opening birth as he made a solid 57. Datchet batters got in but could not establish themselves, but that was soon to change. There was a seventh wicket stand of 102 which served to boost the visitors, as Joseph Thomas played a captain’s innings, and found excellent support from Yousef Majid. Thomas made 93 from 71 balls, including 8 fours and 3 sixes, while Majid performed with 31, as they closed on 289 for 9 from their allotted overs. Kazim Naqvi was the pick of the bowlers as he took three for 50 from his ten-over stint for Slough.
Saqlain Basharat (63) and Humza Ishaq (77) gave the home side a solid platform as the opening pair put on 121 runs for the first wicket. Indian overseas Vishnu Solanki showed his vast experience as he hit a quick-fire 77 not out from just 40 balls (9 fours and 4 sixes) and, along with Sahaan Sahaan, who made an unbeaten 42 from just 27 balls, the pair got their side across the line with 3.3 overs to spare.
The Cherwell Cricket League, Division One Champions Horspath marked their return to the league with a five-wicket win at Bicester & North Oxford, with just four balls to spare.
It was Vivek Narayan who played a key part in the chase with a solid 61, as Tom Coleman (45) and Josh Richardson (31) contributed to get their side to a maximum ( 213 for 5 in 49.2 overs)
Earlier in the day, Marcus Jeacock top-scored with a fine half century, while former skipper Ryan Moore made 42 as Bicester & North Oxford posted 209 for 9 from 50.
Gerrards Cross started their season with a three-wicket success over Chesham at The Meadow.
New signing Hugo Hammond (54) marked his debut with aplomb, as the consistent Chris Marrow (41) and Teddy Fleming (33) also flourished for the visitors. It was skipper Patrick Smith who saw his side home with an undefeated 37 as Gerrards Cross needed just 33.4 overs.
Chesham had elected to bat first under new captain Jonathan Burden at the start of play. The experienced Jason Rance (37) and Daniel Ward (35) were the only batters to get into the thirties but decisive spells from seamer Harry Spear, three for 36 from 7 overs and Najeeb Malik, three for 36 from 9 overs, had removed the hosts for 193 all out in 44 overs.
Jack Wilkins captaincy debut for Oxford proved to be successful as they won by six-wickets against Thame Town at Church Meadow.
Wilkins, who replaced George Tait in charge over the close season, saw Oxford’s highly promising, Sussex Academy all-rounder Julian Laird produce with both leather and willow.
After winning the toss, Thame Town captain Hassam Mushtaq elected to bat and proceeded to make a good half century (57). Reshawm Lewis (48) also made runs but it was the left-arm spin of Laird, three for 36 from 7.4 overs, who helped dismiss the home side for 215 in 44.4 overs.
Laird (30) and his opening partner Vishane Perera (40) gave Oxford a solid start, which number three Dylan Driscoll accelerated on with 48 from just 31 balls. The undefeated fifth-wicket stand worth 83 runs between Brendon Smith (46 not out) and Jack Hobbs (42 not out) gave Oxford an opening day win with fourteen overs to spare.
