Kidmore End avoid drop despite defeat

HENLEY 2nds finished their Division 1 campaign in sixth place after going down to a 110-run final day defeat at BOYNE HILL last Saturday.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Boyne Hill’s innings was built around solid contributions from the middle order, with Tharushan Iddamalagoda leading the way with a patient 50 off 81 balls, including seven fours.

Oliver West supported with a brisk 45 off 61 balls, striking eight boundaries, while Michael Snedden provided late impetus with another 45, featuring three fours and three sixes in his 27-ball knock.

Simon Carter chipped in with 30 and Jamie Odell added 26 early on. The innings saw regular wickets fall, but the batters managed to rotate strike effectively, helped by 17 extras.

Henley’s bowlers toiled hard, Tom Wellings was the pick, claiming 2-20 from his 10 overs, including the key wickets of Iddamalagoda and West. Simon Wheeler also grabbed 2-24 from 10 overs. Sahil Desai (2-47) and Charlie Hunt (2-36) each took two, while Jacob Williams and Euan Brock took one apiece.

Chasing 248, Henley’s reply never gained momentum as they slumped to 137 all out. Sahil Desai top-scored with 33, while Luke Loveland (26) and Charlie Bradbury (23) offered brief resistance. The rest of the line-up struggled against a disciplined Boyne Hill attack, with several batsmen falling for single figures.

KIDMORE END ensured Division 2A safety despite going down to a 65-run defeat at ALDERSHOT, a result that also means the hosts avoid relegation.

Aldershot, winning the toss, batted first and put on 261-9 across 50 overs.

Kidmore leaned heavily on their seasoned seamers as skipper James Frost worked tirelessly from one end, bending his back on a surface that offered no favours. Craig Palmer kept hammering away, while Sheldon joined the effort with canny changes of pace and line and between them, they prised out wickets through persistence and grit on the season’s slowest pitch.

The fielding was sharp in moments, though energy ebbed as the overs mounted, had Kidmore held all their catches then the Aldershot total would have been noticeably less.

In reply, Olly Dugdale’s century, which he reached with a straight six in the final over of the league season, offered Kidmore a glimpse of class amid the toil.

Wickets fell around him as edges held low, balls skidded through, mistimed drives floated into waiting hands and the weight of 262 was always too heavy as Kidmore closed on 196-8.

WARGRAVE 2nds suffered relegation after finishing ninth in the table despite picking up a seven-wicket victory at BINFIELD.

After winning the toss and electing to field, Mandip Sohi (3-24) and Danyal Ghazi (2-23) set the tone with early breakthroughs, reducing the hosts to 22-4 inside the opening 10 overs.

Oliver Newton (3-19) continued the pressure with a lively spell, while Adit Rajeev (2-21) mopped up the tail. Despite a spirited 34 from Darren Butler and 16 from skipper Jack Collett, Binfield were bowled out for 94 in the 26th over.

Chasing a modest target, Wargrave’s reply was anchored by a composed innings from Sohi, who carried his bat for a fluent 44 not out, striking seven fours and two sixes. He was well supported by Louis Dean (28), the pair adding 54 for the second wicket to take the visitors within touching distance of victory.

Ben Clark’s late double strike briefly delayed proceedings, but Ashwyn Rupasinha (5 not out) saw Wargrave home at 97-3 in the 21st over.

PEPPARD STOKE ROW’S best-ever campaign ultimately ended short of promotion as they lost by 45 runs to visitors and Division 3A runners-up PURLEY.

Peppard’s outside hopes of pulling off an unlikely promotion saw them enter the second-versus-third game needing to triumph and restrict their opponents to just six points, yet winning the toss and the early dismissal of James Denton — trapped lbw by Scott Harris — provided an early fillip.

Andrew Clarke and Chris Rackley (42) steadied the ship for the Potters, sharing 77 for the second wicket before the latter, earlier recalled from an lbw decision by the square leg umpire, fell victim to Aryan Khanna for the second time.

Ahmed Siddique survived a stumping appeal as the life began to be sucked out of Peppard Stoke Row, albeit two quick wickets of Clarke (43) and Patrick Allen made it 127-4 and game on. Siddique made the most of his early reprieve and his unbeaten 85, aided by skipper George Wheeler (50 not out), helped Purley post 253-4 in their 45 overs.

Peppard Stoke Row needed to knock the runs off for the loss of just one wicket, and they made a fine start as Owen Simmons and the in-form Kyle Tappan shared 70 for the opening stand.

Yet Simmons (41) was castled by Raj Senaiappan, Adi Hector then bowled by spinner Sam Seville to end the promotion dream.

Dan Watts followed via the same means, 98-3, and Tappan’s enterprising 57 then closed as Allen had him caught by Ijaz Rehman.

Matt Vines tried to fashion some kind of comeback for the hosts, but with Allen (4-42) and Clarke (3-33) tightening the noose, Peppard Stoke Row were eventually dismissed for 205.

HARPSDEN finished their season in eighth place in the table after going down to a six-wicket defeat at relegated MAIDENHEAD AND BRAY 2nds.

The home side won the toss and put the villagers into bat first where they dismissed them for 220. Angus Cripps top scored for the visitors with 52.

In reply, Maidenhead and Bray eased to 223-4 to clinch victory in 39 overs with Stefan Franklin taking 2-43.