Finchampstead took a huge step towards securing their Home Counties Premier 1 survival with an eight-wicket thrashing of Oxford.
Speaking to The Wokingham Paper last week, captain Dan Lincoln said his Finches were looking for the full 25 points from their trip to the side occupying the final relegation spot and they delivered in style.
Having won the toss, Lincoln put the hosts in to bat first and it proved to be a wise decision.
After a steady start, Oxford wickets soon tumbled as they batted for just 21 overs on their way to being bowled out for only 86 with Darron Augustus (4-30) and Ryan Quinn (4-33) the pick of the bowlers.
That left a straightforward job in reply. Although openers Greg Smith and Adam Dewes fell for 13 and 21 respectively, unbeaten knocks from Tommie Predgen (18no) and Lincoln (30no) saw the win over the line in 24.2 overs.
Victory keeps Finch seventh, but they are crucially now 55 points clear of the relegation zone with just six games to play and are closer to the top three ahead of a trip to Horspath on Saturday.
See last week’s honours board here
WOKINGHAM still have designs on joining Finch in Premier 1 next season after easing to a 72-run win against Premier 2 strugglers Shipton-under-Wychwood.
The Oaks’ momentum stalled in recent weeks with three draws and a defeat, but they returned to winning ways to move to within 40 points of the top two.
Wokingham won the toss and elected to bat first, but lost opener Jack Wood early.
However, a big partnership from Stuart Parsons and Dan Housego pushed the score along to 72-2 before Parsons was trapped lbw for 30.
Housego continued, eventually reaching 109, scoring 11 boundaries along the way, while Archie Carter (35), James Bird (22) and Stuart Hayter (26no) all contributed well.
After 57 overs, skipper Hayter decided to call it a day with Wokingham declaring on 254-8 before setting about the task of bowling out the league’s bottom side.
They proved to be stubborn customers, recovering from the loss of an early wicket to reach the 100 mark with seven wickets still in hand.
However, a late collapse sparked by the bowling of Lewis Sharp, who ended with figures of 4-26, saw Shipton skittled from 172-6 to 182 all out in the 49th over to give Wokingham the 25-point win.
The Oaks still sit seventh and will be eyeing another win against second-bottom Dinton at home on Saturday.
