Gerrards X, Datchet and Oxford Registered Back-To-Back Opening Wins In The Home Counties, Division Two.
Feature Image: Gaajuran Ganagabalan (Oxford) – Accreditation: ETDC Digital Media
Gerrards Cross recorded an eight-wicket away win at Thame Town at Church Meadow.
Harry Spear continued his excellent start to the season as the seamer took three for 35 as the home side were dismissed for 150 all out in 37.4 overs. Only opener Ubaid Kiani’s 46 making any contribution.
Henry Walsh (53 not out) and Hugo Hammond (48), both from 46 balls, gave the visitors the perfect start as they shared an opening stand worth 82. Walsh batted through to see his side to twenty points.
Rahim Akhtar’s century was the highlight as Datchet defeated Ickenham by 154 runs at the Wally Gage Memorial Ground.
The opener made a brilliant 114 as he shared a second wicket stand of 132 with David Scott (60), who made runs for the second week running. Akhtar’s two and a half hour stay at the crease included fourteen boundaries as Datchet posted 276 for 9 from their 50 overs. Leslie Ngoepe’s three for 43 from ten overs the pick of the visitors bowling.
Ickenham’s batting never fired as Elliott Saunders claimed four for 30 before they were eventually removed for 122 all out in 30 overs.
Gaajuran Ganagabalan’s outstanding innings for Oxford saw the Romans record another success, this time a 189-run win at Chesham.
After being inserted, Ganagabalan stroked 163 from 146 balls, including 16 fours and 8 sixes, as Oxford posted 285 for 9 from their allotted overs. Brendon Smith (30) played a supporting role but the innings was only about one player.
In comparison, Chesham’s batters struggled as four Oxford bowlers claimed a brace of wickets each as they were 71 for 8 from 36 overs when the rain came. The revised target of 261 saw Oxford claim the points.
Daud Sardar was in amazing form as he single-handedly gave Stoke Green an eight wicket victory over Challow & Childrey.
Sardar’s mouth-watering 113 in the chase came from just 31 balls and included 14 sixes and 6 fours as Green reached their target (130-2) in just 9.3 overs.
Earlier, Dylan Crees (32) was the only Challow & Childrey player to make runs as the visitors were dismissed for 128 in 42.3 overs. Passikku Madusanka’s four for 18 doing the damage.
All-round displays by Derval Green and Sravan Konidena gave Horspath their first win of the campaign with a 56-run success over Wargrave.
After being invited to bat, Konidena made 45 from 36 balls at the top of the innings, before Tom Coleman’s 57 was a solid support. Green then added fireworks as he smashed 53 from just 28 balls, including eight boundaries, five of which were maximums. Euan Woods took five for 47 for the visitors.
Wargrave had a solid start as skipper Rhys Lewis (34) and Rob Farina (36) added a 67-run opening stand and Woods contributed 36 runs at number four. Konidena returned to haunt his former club as the seamer took four victims for 44 runs from his ten-over stint, while Green’s three for 44 saw off Wargrave’s hopes as they were all out for 198 in 41.3 overs.
