CRICKET: Wokingham CC back on track but Finches lose again

Wokingham bounced back from their first defeat of the season last time out with a thumping nine-wicket win over Burnham on Saturday.

The Oaks had slipped to eighth in Home Counties Premier 2 following the loss at Dinton, but they regrouped with a brilliant batting display at Sadler’s End.

Having won the toss and opted to bowl, Wokingham set about making an early breakthrough but were made to wait by a stubborn opening pair.

The first wicket did eventually fall with 45 on the scoreboard as Fahad Raja (9) was stumped off the bowling of Simon Myles.

Opening bowler Iain Muirden failed to make a breakthrough in his 10 overs

Myles then picked up his second wicket of the day, removing fellow opener Rizwan Nadeem for 44 before Jacob Clark took two quick wickets to leave Burnham on 105-4.

Adnan Shabbir’s score of 33 helped pushed the innings along before James Bird took over, ending with figures of 4-31 as the visitors closed on 201-8 from their 50 overs.

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And that chase proved light work for the Oaks with the opening duo almost completing the job themselves.

Seven bowlers tried their arm for Burnham but could not shift Stuart Parsons, who scored 91 not out off 124 deliveries while Bird added 77, with seven boundaries, before being bowled.

With the score on 166-1, Dan Housego came to the crease and put an unbeaten 16 to the total to push Wokingham over the line.

The win lifts them up to sixth in the standings with a trip to unbeaten Great and Little Tew on Saturday.

Up in Home Counties 1, FINCHAMPSTEAD’S tough start to the season continued with a 23-run loss at Henley.

Dan Lincoln was again the man to try and rescue Finchampstead

Finches opted to field first, but the hosts started well, putting 83 on the board before the first wicket fell with James Woodford removing Matthew Rowe for 22.

But his fellow opener Michael Roberts powered onto 71 before he was caught off the bowling of Rehan Akram.

From 153-2, Henley did suffer a wobble with Woodford taking two more wickets and Josh Lincoln also claiming a couple, but they closed on 260-8 to set Finchampstead a tricky chase.

That was made even trickier by a poor start in reply with Tommie Predgen caught without scoring while Greg Smith only managed 14.

And when Shiv Jindal was caught having put just nine runs on the board, Finches looked in trouble on 46-3.

But up stepped captain Dan Lincoln to give his side a chance, embarking on a knock of 74 not out, including three sixes, supported by Simon Bell who scored 61 before also being caught off spinner Euan Brock.

That left the visitors on 138-4 off 37 overs, still a way short of the total.

Ryan Quinn quickly came and went for six before Josh Lincoln joined brother Dan at the crease, scoring 37 not out, but Finch ended on 237-5 to suffer a second straight defeat, but they do move up a spot to seventh.

Finchampstead host high flying High Wycombe on Saturday in what will be a clash against former captain Dan Marles, who made the move to Buckinghamshire over the winter.

See last week’s honours board here.