At the halfway stage of the season, Wokingham (25) have won seven of their nine matches as they beat Gerrards Cross (7) by 18 runs at Dukes Lane.
The game was an example of how the Oaks are grinding out wins from encounters which could have been defeats, with those narrow margins adding up.
After being inserted, Michael Cowdell started the innings with 46 as he shared an opening partnership of 60 with recent signing Ayush Tyagi (25). The latest addition to Wokingham’s promotion drive has joined from Leicestershire & Rutland Premier Cricket League, Premier Division outfit Houghton & Thurnby following a University placement. Suhki Kang (28) and Jacob Clark (30) added valuable runs but the visitors were pegged back by James Dalby (4-62) and Teddy Fleming (3-36), a left-arm spinner who has been performing for Bucks on the National Counties stage. The closing score being 196 all out in 56.5 overs.
Chris Marrow (37) and Henry Walsh (39) gave the home side a solid platform, before the spin duo of Ali Akbar Raja and Tyagi combined with four wickets apiece as the chase fell short by only 18 runs (178 all out in 51.5 overs).
Horspath (12) and the elements combined to make life difficult for Datchet (4), who started the day in second position, as the game petered out into draw.
With the players enduring a number of stops for rain, the home side had Dominic O’Connor (55) and Sravan Konidena (74) push their side into the ascendancy, as the pair put on 139 for the first wicket. Konidena struck 14 boundaries, including a six, while O’Connor hit 8 fours. Tyron Eyles added 31 before Jamaican all-rounder Derval Green’s explosive knock of 65 from just 32 balls (50 runs in 24 balls and 31 minutes) saw the Oxfordshire side close after their re-adjusted 46 overs. They had posted an impressive 285 for 6, an innings which saw them go at 6.33 per over. Datchet’s Yousef Majid took four for 100.
Duckworth-Lewis saw Datchet’s final target become 286 from 39 overs, seven less than their opponents had batted. With 7.33 an over the target, Horspath’s bowling duo of Asad Rafiq (2-52) and Amin Rafiq (3-20) soon put paid to any ideas the visitors had of taking maximum points, as they combined to reduce Datchet to 66 for 5. Samand Khan and Joseph Thomas shared an undefeated 72-run stand for the sixth wicket to see their side to 138 for 5 at stumps.
Dinny Malan produced a match-winning performance as Thame Town (25) defeated Bicester & North Oxford (5) by 117 runs at Akeman Street.
Malan claimed seven victims as he blew away the home side’s batting with a brilliant 16.3 overs. The Thame seamer’s figures (7-34) see him finish the first half of the season as the division’s leading wicket taker with 20 wickets. Chris Hofen top scored for Bicester & North Oxford with 86 as he added an opening stand of 109 with Farhaan Khan (38). But Malan’s spell helped the visitors to take the points.
Earlier, Alex Tervet played the anchor role with a patient 87 which ensured Thame’s other batters could express themselves freely. Malan performed with the willow as he hit 42 from 40 balls, while Ubaid Kiani (39), Alex Browne (32), plus a quickfire half century from Hassam Mushtaq (51 from 29 balls) saw Thame declare on 286 for 7 in 57.5 overs.
Skipper Nadeem Syed and Vishnu Solanki helped Slough (25) move up to second after their 70-run victory over Falkland (5) in a reduced overs fixture due to rain.
Syed’s excellent spell of five for 48 from 11.2 overs removed Falkland for 190 all out in 42.2 overs. Only Kiwi, Elliot Seddon, who hammered a century in just 82 balls (15 fours and 2 sixes) from the number seven berth, and Bobby Brown’s patient 36, performed for the Berkshire-based side.
Earlier, the experience of the Slough overseas, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Vishnu Solanki, saw him add 83 from just 74 balls, including fourteen boundaries, one six, as the visitors declared on 260 for 8 from 47 overs. Sahaan Sahaan (34) contributed again as Brown topped a good all-round display with three for 34.
Isaac Dikgale and Mark Eteen both struck brilliant centuries as Oxford (16) and Chesham (5) shared a high-scoring draw at Jordan Hill.
After being invited to bat, Oxford declared on 307 for 3 after 54 overs as Dikgale struck his second successive ton on his home turf. He stroked 118 from 114 balls (13 fours and 4 sixes), reaching three figures in 111 minutes, as the Romans harvested runs. Openers Vishane Perera (39) and Dylan Swanepoel (64) added 87 for the first wicket, while Jack Hobbs made 57 not out before skipper Jack Wilkins called his batters in.
Eteen followed up his unbeaten 101 against Bicester & North Oxford the week before with another century, again undefeated, this time with 106. His classy knock saw him go to his ton in 122 balls as he shared a 123-run partnership with Ed Horsley, who made 64 on his debut for the side from The Meadow. At close of play, Eteen left the field having scored 9 fours and 4 sixes in his 106 not out with Chesham 239 for 8 in 55 overs. Wilkins (3-48) and Brendon Smith (3-27) the pick of the Oxford bowlers.
