Vaughan-Davies’s century in vain as rain wins the day

ALL matches in Division 6B were eventually abandoned due to the wet weather last Saturday.

Jason Vaughan-Davies smashed his third century of the season to pull level at the top of the divisions’ run charts before PEPPARD STOKE ROW 2nds’ home game with WEST READING was abandoned.

Home captain Andy Watts elected to bat in the expectation rain would ultimately win the day, and he and Vaughan-Davies put their opponents to the sword in a dominant stand of 188.

Vaughan-Davies (128) led the way as he took his seasonal tally to 686, but the rain arrived after Mark Harper also fell, Peppard Stoke Row 228-2 after 39 overs with Watts left unbeaten on 74.

HURLEY had put on 85-6 at CALCOT before their match was brought to a close.

Conditions were already damp and rain-threatened when CHECKENDON arrived at EARLEY.

The visitors elected to bat and were in a good position on 103-3 after Pradeep Shokeen struck 52 in 31 balls and Sam Arrowsmith 32 in 47.

There followed a spectacular collapse to 119 all out as spinners Deep Singh (4-17) and Atul Pawar (3- 27) found increasing turn and bounce. Earley reached 85-3 in 17 overs in reply, but the weather had started to deteriorate as soon as Checkendon took the field and eventually the umpire took the decision to abandon the game.

WOODCOTE’S home clash with PURLEY was abandoned in the morning without a ball being bowled due to a waterlogged square.

In Division 7B, HURLEY 2nds were all out for 136 in their home clash with HARPSDEN 2nds with Rod Birkett and Thomas Mitchell both taking three wickets each. In reply, Harpsden were on 29-1 when rain stopped play.

In Division 8B, CHECKENDON 2nds were on course for a large total at home to SONNING 3rds, reaching 224-8 with Karan Sheth 116 not out from 96 deliveries, when rain stopped play.

George Lee and Ed Bruun scored the runs before Christopher Proudfoot took 5-29 as PEPPARD STOKE ROW 3rd stole a promotion march in Division 9B with a 131-run home triumph against CROWTHORNE AND CROWN WOOD 4ths.

A second straight win, aided and abetted by both Woodley 2nds and Purley 3rds being rained off, leaves Peppard Stoke Row knowing victory at Woodcote 2nds would secure promotion under captain Sam Kimber’s maiden spell at the helm. Riaan Ackerman and Matt Ravden gave Peppard Stoke Row a steady start before a flurry of wickets left things in the balance, Lee (60) and Bruun (40) took the game by the scruff of the neck.

A secondary collapse was halted as Ben Rumble clubbed 27, the hosts bowled out for 197 in just 30 overs of all-action cricket.

Rumble (2-20) nipped a couple out early and after Proudfoot initially failed to find his line and length but he returned up the hill with a sensational second spell of 5-5 as Crowthorne were all out for 66, Matt Kimber’s wily left-arm lobs reeling in for 2-9 in seven overs.

WOODCOTE 2nds skipper Neil McDougall won the toss and elected to field at GORING 2nds. The Goring batters struggled against opening bowlers, Archie Clark (2-15) and Karanvir Randhawa (1-20) and they were reduced to 41-3 after 11 overs before a short break for rain ended the match.

In Division 9C, BOYNE HILL 4ths put on 221-9 with WARGRAVE 4ths replying with 55-2 before rain stopped play.

HENLEY 4ths went down to an eight-wicket Division 10B defeat at SONNING 4ths.

Making his captain debut, Andrew Taylor lost the toss for Henley and saw his side put into bat.

Batting on an Astroturf pitch, Henley made a good start, with Freddie Bowlby and George Piercey putting on 59 for the first wicket. Rams Palvannan came in when Bowlby perished and scored a quick-fire 27 off 30 balls, but his powerful hitting came at the cost of a tweaked back, which ruled him out for the rest of the game.

When George Piercey was caught for 60 off 73 balls, including two sixes, the score was 116-3 off 23.3 overs. Despite this good platform, Henley’s innings stuttered. Only Rocco Rotherham, making his senior debut, batted with any fluency, including hitting an enormous six during his run-a-ball 12. Rocco’s father James, also making his debut, was one of two stumping victims.

Richard Piercey was out for 6 before two run-outs followed and skipper was the final player out for 4 to leave Henley on 162.

In reply Joe Raymond and Aakansh Naik bowled with discipline and precision, going past the bat numerous times and being rewarded with a wicket each. Sonning, sensing that they might need to get ahead of the DLS par score, attacked from the off, with several chances not going to hand, not helped by only having 10 fielders. Despite determined bowling the third-wicket partnership could not be broken, with Gaurav Jayan scoring an unbeaten 76 as his side posted 163-2.