Clark shines with bat as villagers bag first day win

WOODCOTE got their season off to a winning start with a five-wicket win in a friendly at FARLEY HILL last Saturday.

Farley batted first and scored 192-4 in their 40 overs. The most successful Woodcote bowler was skipper Alec Curtis (2-25) while young Callum Ahmed also bowled to a tidy spell (1-22).

When Woodcote batted, the Farley bowlers had some early success and Woodcote were at 32-3 when Jonny Clark and Stefan Gordon came together.

The pair put on 102 for the fourth wicket with Clark scoring 90 and Gordon (28) doing well to give his partner most of the strike.

Matt Webber (30 not out) and Rakesh Nair (7 not out) saw their team over the line for a five-wicket win in 37.1 overs.

PEPPARD STOKE ROW’S Fergus Nutt hit an unbeaten 108 to helps side to a 60-run win at SULHAMSTEAD.

The visitors were asked to bat first with Richard Ashton getting things off to a brisk start before being bowled for 31 by Josh Braithwaite.

South African duo Kegan Shepherd and skipper Kyle Tappan followed to make it 57-3, and things got worse for Peppard Stoke Row as Matt Vines, Scott Harris and Rudi Derbyshire — who hit his first ball for six before departing for 10 three later — also fell for 135-6.

Nutt was joined by Cian Tappan and the pair steadied the ship, a 77-run seventh-wicket partnership taking Peppard Stoke Row past 200.

Braithwaite knocked over Tappan and Harry Roberts in consecutive balls for 212-8, but Nutt received useful support from Danny McAllister to take the visitors to 251-8 from their 40 overs.

Sulhamstead’s reply started slowly but confidently, Steve Belcher and Mubarak Tahir sharing 38 before the former was held by captain Tappan off Harris.

Junior Tappan trapped Aaron Briggs lbw before two more Harris (3-34) victims left Sully 58-4, Tahir finding some support from Abdullah Siddique to keep the hosts in the game.

Spinner Ollie Williams accounted for the latter with a quicker delivery, Derbyshire then nicking off Tahir (85).

Shepherd had Christian Blackford caught behind by Harry Roberts and Derbyshire (3-21) then took the final couple of wickets as the home side were dismissed for 191.

U17 Seb Kingsbury hit his maiden adult century as PEPPARD STOKE ROW 2nds beat SULHAMSTEAD 2nds by one wicket.

It was the visitors who started stronger having chosen to bat, Jason Doole (55) and Mark Gibson (42) sharing 110 for the first wicket before Peppard Stoke Row captain Matt Kimber caught the latter off U13 Albie Tomlinson (3-37).

The same bowler removed Doole shortly after and later returned to knock over Brad Fellows, but James Pickard (50 retired) guided Sulhamstead to 231-3 from their 40 overs.

The hosts lost a couple of early wickets before James Watts and Winchester College student Kingsbury steadied the ship, only for three more quick wickets to leave Peppard Stoke Row in trouble.

Mark Lambert helped add a useful sixth-wicket stand, but after Sam Kimber and Rob Haggart also went, the writing appeared to be on the wall for the home team.

Kingsbury had other ideas, striking the ball all round the ground as he moved through the gears.

Tomlinson played a key role in supporting his fellow teenager, U14 Scott Reyburn then doing the same as Kingsbury got his side over the line with seven balls to spare.

Oratory School powerhouse Jake Jackson helped CHECKENDON take Sunday bragging rights with a 30-run triumph at PEPPARD STOKE ROW MAHARANICORNS. Checkendon made a solid start after electing to bat, Prashant Khare and John Acland-Hood both among the runs before falling to spinners Karan Shah and Aled Roberts respectively.

U14 Scott Reyburn (3-27) was the pick of the attack as he dismissed skipper Tommy Ellis and Sam Arrowsmith, Albie Tomlinson and Ariman Balakrishnan also snaring a victim apiece.

Jackson batted with calmness in amongst some strong hitting, a century narrowly missed out on as Reyburn finally removed him for 88.

Checkendon closed their 35 overs on 215-8, but made early inroads as James Watts and Gerry Bacon fell cheaply.

Dan Bacon led a counter-attack before debuting Hong Kong international Shah and Fergus Nutt kept the hosts’ momentum building.

The latter reached 54 before retiring following a painful Jackson blow to the groin while fielding, Steve Kis and Chris Humphreys following soon after as Checks wrested back the initiative.

Peppard Stoke Row’s hopes faded further as Shah fell for a well-made 54 and despite Tomlinson and Reyburn playing good innings and skipper Sam Kimber hitting a late maximum, the hosts could only reach 185-8 in reply.