Peppard Stoke Row youngsters make progress after being crowned champions

PEPPARD STOKE ROW U13s were crowned Berkshire League Twenty20 West Zone champions following a 50-run victory at PURLEY U13s on Sunday morning.

Having been asked to bat, Rudi Derbyshire (26) and Archie Watson (28 not out) led the way as the visitors posted a competitive 118-7 in their innings.

Aryan Pradeep (2-16), Derbyshire (2-3) and Ben Bridge (2-9) made early inroads as Peppard took control, and with captain James Mennie, Watson and James Bee taking a wicket apiece — and Dan Guest enacting a run out — they dismissed the home side for 68 to take the title.

Peppard had previously beaten West Ilsley, Hungerford and Falkland to reach the final, and will take on one of Cookham Dean, Slough, Binfield, Royal Ascot or Emmbrook and Bearwood in the county climax later this summer.

HAMBLEDEN ran out 32-run winners in their clash with visitors NETTLEBED.

Home captain Nick Arnold won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket which was unlikely to improve given the overcast conditions.

Openers Phil Rosier and Dan Reading scored runs steadily on a slow outfield which prevented many boundaries.

Bowlers D McAllister and G Bennett were replaced by Tom Vockins and Van der Mark. Reading was eventually caught at cover on 24 off Van der Mark.

With the score at 56 Rafe Dickie joined Rosier (76 not out) and the pair took on the Nettlebed bowlers as the drizzle began to set in.

Jack Russell, H Butler, C Cunliffe and M Bryant (2-23) each took on the mantle until Bryant finally bowled Dickie on 103, ending the partnership on 180. With four balls remaining, Sam Francis came to the crease, only to return to the pavilion one ball later, bowled by Bryant for his second wicket. Hambleden ended their innings on 236-3.

As Hambleden came out to field the drizzle had stopped and conditions for fielding improved.

Nettlebed’s opening batsmen, Bennett and Cunliffe, set about matching Hambleden’s run rate, achieving 59 from 13 overs before Cunliffe was bowled on 21 by Adam Richards.

Ary Paul (1-32) was replaced after four overs by Dickie and Richards by Arnold (1-43). Arnold eventually broke the partnership of M Butler and Bennett, bowling Bennett off his pads for 56, with the score on 100 after 20 overs.

Lee Vockins now joined Butler and the pair began to chase down the total. Butler finally fell to Reading (2-53), bowled on 57 in the 32nd over, after a partnership of 87.

Following one over from Rosier, Ary Paul returned to finish his spell conceding 14 more runs, and having Bryant caught on one, at mid wicket by Matt Murton. With more than 50 runs still required and just 15 balls remaining, Hambleden were looking favourites to win.

In Reading’s final over, Vockins was caught by wicket-keeper Paul Richards at silly mid-off, after skying the ball.

P Simmons and Russell saw out the remaining nine balls as Nettlebed reached a 204-5.

WHITCHURCH opener Woody Chapman hit 147 against visitors CHECKENDON as the home team reached 254-9 in 35 overs. Taking full advantage of the short boundaries he hit six sixes and 18 fours.

Checkendon replied iwth a creditable 193-9. Captain Sam Arrowsmith led the way with 43 in 27 balls, though there were also contributions from Tommy Ellis, Jim Warren, Joseph Bradley and Santash Padmandban.

GREYS GREEN ran out six-wicket winners in their home clash with BRITWELL SALOME.

Having won the toss Greys put the visitors into bat first. The Greys opening bowlers, Ahmed and Singh, both bowled accurate and probing spells which reduced Britwell Salome to 44-5. N Little battled hard for 22 until he fell to an outfield catch by Shafqat. Change bowlers Jenkins and Skilleter kept up the pressure and, in spite of a defiant innings of 28 by Ferdinando, Britwell were bowled out for 98.

Wickets were shared among the four bowlers who were aided by two more fine catches by Singh.

In response the Britwell bowlers also bowled some probing spells, especially Wilkinson and C Little but any loose deliveries were eagerly seized upon by the Greys batsman.

Ahmed set the tone with two square cuts, Knight played some classy shots and Holroyd hit two sixes whilst Shafqat anchored the innings, becoming more assertive as time went on to finish undefeated for the fourth innings in a row. Shafqat ended on 47 not out as the home side ran out winners.

PEPPARD STOKE ROW UNICORNS slipped to an 88-run reverse against READING LIONS at The Oratory School. Having lost the toss, Unicorns’ opening pair of Archie Malcolm and Satheech Elaganathan (2-36) both grabbed an early wicket during impressive spells.

U15 Nick Murdoch kept the pressure on and bowled opener Ankush Jain for 29, but that was as good as it got for the home side as skipper Manju Raki (51) and Keerthi Prakash (64) wrestled the initiative for the Lions.

Both of those departed run out in the closing overs, but a quickfire unbeaten 40 from the prolific Shiva Aruna ensured the visitors totalled 238-6 in their 40 overs.

Unicorns’ top order was in trouble early on as Marcus Laing, James Watts and Murdoch were all dismissed in single figures, but Charlie Laing and Brandon Murdoch led something of a fightback.

However, their departures left the home side in strife, and as the required rate went up and up, it was only encouraging knocks late on from captain Will Wakelam and Reuben Leedham which helped Unicorns reach 150-9.

U15 Ben Proudfoot recorded figures of 3-3 to inspire PEPPARD STOKE ROW MAHARAJAHS to a 15-run win in a low-scoring clash at home to PANGBOURNE.

Things did not go to plan for the home side after they were asked to bat in tough conditions, and they were only able to reach 106 thanks to the best efforts of brothers Dave (28) and skipper Mark Lambert (23).

However, young opening pair Harry Harper and Max Roberts grabbed a wicket apiece, before opener Neil Houldey (32) looked like he had his team on course for victory.

Yet U15 Tom Wilkinson then picked up a wicket before his age-group peers Tom Lotery (2-10) and Proudfoot provided the coup de grace as Pangbourne were bowled out for 91.

CRAZIES HILL recorded a comfortable victory over
READING UNIVERSITY ALUMNI at Kentons Lane.

Batting first, Reading got off to a solid start, albeit thanks to an early reprieve for Umer who was dropped by Sam Montgomery in his brother Charlie’s first over.

Having added 34 a smart piece of fielding from Hancock and Charlie ran Umer out for 17. With Charlie then bowling Eagle later in the same over, Reading were 38-2 after nine overs.

As Reading struggled past 50, the introduction of Margrie and Rolls into the attack caused the visitors to collapse from 50-2 to 52-6, including a full length diving catch from Hancock to remove Mazhar without scoring.

With Reading in danger of posting only a moderate score, some belligerent hitting from Taimur — who was ably supported by Greenhalf — saw Reading add 53 for the seventh wicket. Despite a couple of lusty blows from Partha, Reading were bowled out for 118.

In reply Crazies began confidently as Rolls and Doug Montgomery shared a half-century opening partnership. However, two quick wickets from Umer and one from Zia saw a mini Crazies collapse from 51-0 to 58-3.

Charlie Montgomery joined Sam at the crease and began to rebuild the innings. Having added 27 for the fourth wicket and being dropped three times, Sam was removed by Umer thanks to a smart catch behind the stumps from Greenhalf.

Hancock joined Charlie at the crease and provided stubborn resistance allowing Charlie to lead an assault on the visitor’s attack.

Despite Charlie being bowled for 41 with only three needed for victory, Crazies were not to be denied and cruised to a comfortable five wicket win with more than five overs to spare.