FROM being potentially one win away from promotion, Wokingham now look set to miss out on a top two finish.
The Oaks sat second heading into Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash against champions Buckingham, knowing victory coupled with defeat for third-placed Datchet would secure back-to-back promotions.
But after falling 41 runs short at Sadlers End and Datchet winning at Burnham, Wokingham now sit third and must beat Amersham on the final day and hope for a favour elsewhere.
Stuart Parsons again stood in as captain and made no changes to the side which won at Harefield the previous weekend.
The home side won the toss and put Buckingham into bat and made a couple of early breakthroughs with both Lewis Sharp and Iain Muirden taking a wicket apiece.
Jacob Clark then got in on the act to leave the scoreboard 69-3.
But Buckingham then showed their qualities with a big partnership between Andrew Hall and Jack Parish firing their score up to 231-5.
The Oaks took more wickets with Muirden the leading bowler with figures of 3-45, but Wokingham had a tricky task to try and chase down 273 to win.
However, they made a strong start as they looked determined to keep promotion in their own hands.
Parsons and Jack Wood opened up and put on 71 for the opening wicket before Parsons was clean bowled for 31.
Wood soon following having scored 37 and the hosts looked in trouble when they found themselves seven down with just 133 on the board.
Archie Carter offered some resistance with a 27-ball 16, while Muirden added 30.
With tail-end duo Paul Dewick and Sharp at the crease at 179-9, the outlook appeared bleak.
However, they scored 36 and 22 not out respectively as the Oaks at least batted for the full 50 overs, but they closed on 231-9, 41 runs short.
The Oaks are eight points behind Datchet ahead of this weekend and require them to slip up at home against Harefield to have any chance of pipping them to a promotion spot.
WOKINGHAM batting: Parsons 31, Wood 37, Housego 12, Bird 21, S. Myles 14, Carter 16, B. Myles 3, Clark 2, Muirden 30, Sharp 22no, Dewick 36no. Extras 7.
Bowling: Sharp 2-46, Muirden 3-45, Clark 1-71, S. Myles 0-25, Dewick 2-50, Bird 0-27.
