WOKINGHAM shot up to fourth in Thames Valley Division 1 after a 61-run victory over Cookham Dean at Sadlers End.
Simon Myles (67) and Archie Carter (49) helped set a target of 233 for Cookham to chase, a total which proved too much with Paul Dewick and Jarrett Bobb both taking three wickets.
It’s been a mixed start to the campaign for Stuart Hayter’s Oaks with the record now reading played five, won three, lost two.
But after a shaky start, it was a convincing display from the hosts.
Having won the toss and opted to bat, Wokingham looked in a spot of bother at 52-4 with
both openers Stuart Parsons (6) and Hayter (19) sent back to the pavilion as well as big-hitting Dan Housego (2) and Michael Bates (4).
But number four Carter stepped up to the mark, combining well with Jacob Clark to fire the score up to 97 before the latter fell for 33 off 33 deliveries.
In came Myles, who proceeded to spray the ball around the field, notching nine boundaries during important partnerships with Carter and then Tom Wood (32no) before being run out.
Wood worked his way through three more batting partners before the innings ended at 233-9 with Wasim Ahmed (3-36) and Simon Foster (3-41) the pick of the bowlers.
And Wokingham got off to the perfect start after the break with Lewis Sharp dismissing opener Chris Marrow for just five runs.
Quick dismissals of Mark Lowden (28) and Ben Millar (15), both off the bowling of Dewick, disrupted the Cookham Dean start, leaving them 49-3.
Tapiwa Mufudza (38no) provided some late resistance but Bobb (3-40) and Dewick (3-31) helped complete the job to bowl out the visitors for 172 in the 44th over.
The Oaks travel to face early league leaders Cove on Saturday (1pm).
WOKINGHAM batting: Parsons 6, Hayter 19, Housego 2, Carter 49, Bates 4, Clark 33, Myles 67, Wood 32no, Bobb 2, Dewick 0, Sharp 4no.
Bowling: Sharp 1-24, Clark 1-42, Dewick 3-31, Wood 0-22, Bobb 3-40, Housego 1-11.
