FINCHAMPSTEAD 2nds eased to a five-wicket win against Kidmore End as they continued their encouraging start to the Division 2a season, writes Richard Ashton.

Experienced spinner Matt Harper (4-61) was the pick of the hosts’ attack as they restricted Kidmore to 186-8 off their 52 overs, Jeff Sheldon (62) and Guy Ashby (60) the standout batsmen.

Finch lost Andrew House cheaply in reply, but Russell Lane (78) and Simon Bell (35) ensured a smooth passage to victory.

Finchampstead travel to Chesham 2nds this coming Saturday (1pm).

Eversley picked up their first win of the season with a four-wicket home success against Chenies & Latimer.

Captain Chris Last (3-15), Gareth Cummings (2-17), Lewis Sharp (2-22) and Sam Glaze (2-23) restricted the visitors to 147, and James Magowan (36) and Last (30) helped their side to victory with eight balls to spare.

Eversley visit North Maidenhead this Saturday (1pm).

In Division 2b, Royal Ascot pulled off a shock 11-run win against High Wycombe 2nds.

Andy English (52) anchored the hosts’ innings as they were bowled out for 155, but superb bowling performances by Mike Brown (5-27) and Will Ellison (4-37) led to Wycombe being dismissed for 144.

Royal Ascot visit Chiswick & Whitton this Saturday (1pm).

Hurst got their season up and running by beating Wargrave by five wickets.

Lewis Smith (4-41) and Andrew Ruddock (3-35) were the star performers for the visitors as Wargrave were bowled out for 140, and Smith’s 46 aided by an unbeaten 32 from Connor White took Hurst to victory.

Hurst host Slough 2nds on Saturday (1pm).

Rezaul Roni (6-24) and Ibne Sayed (3-63) helped Eversley 2nds bowl Sonning out for 242 in Division 3a, but despite Jack Ford’s unbeaten 57, they could only reach 225-4 in reply.

Andy Lazenbury (39) top scored for Finchampstead 3rds in their 74-run success at Yateley 2nds.

Finch were bowled out for 187, and Lazenbury (4-21) then impressed with the ball as the hosts were dismissed for 116. James Eaglesham (2-27), Ollie Armstrong-Wood (2-28) and Sam Taylor (2-30) all took two wickets.

Bracknell recorded their first Division 5b win of the season in emphatic fashion, beating Slough 4ths by 93 runs at Larges Lane.

They posted a score of 140 all out, which was largely due to a knock of 56 by Ty Winter (56) and a patient innings of 31 from Jitendra Kumar. The pair added 80 for the fifth wicket.

Shafiq Malik conceded 12 runs off the first over but skipper Paul Bray kept faith with his demon spinner and he went on to take 5-17 off six overs. Winter weighed in with 4-18 off 12 overs as Slough were skittled out for just 47 in less than 25 overs.

Bray said: “The commitment from every player was excellent. We set an attacking field from ball one and it paid off.”

Bracknell are away to Royal Ascot 2nds this Saturday (1pm).

Josh O’Shea’s unbeaten 71 ensured Royal Ascot 2nds earned a draw at Aldershot 2nds.

The home side racked up an imposing 260-4 declared in 45 overs, but opener Howard Green (47) and later O’Shea took Ascot to 212-7.

In Division 6b, Royal Ascot 3rds also salvaged a draw at Boyne Hill 3rds.

The hosts scored 243-5, but Jack Lunghusen (59) and Chris Nichol (43) batted well to help Ascot reach 233-9 in reply.

Alex Orme blasted a rapid 54 but it was not enough to help Hurst 2nds (100) avoid a seven-wicket loss to Wargrave 2nds (101-3).

Finchampstead 4ths smashed Thatcham Town 3rds by 75 runs in Division 7a.

Matthew Eldridge scored 51 in Finch’s total of 171, and he then took 4-10 to hustle the visitors out for just 96. Liam Matthews also took 3-31.

Karthik Ramanujam (61no), Akmal Sultan (45) and Peter Henly (43) were in the runs as Bracknell 2nds dispatched North Maidenhead 3rds by 130 runs.

Bracknell declared on 239-4 after 44 overs, and Saj Farooq’s stunning 7-28 skittled Maids for 109.

Eversley 3rds crushed Maidenhead & Bray 3rds by 103 runs.

Paul Ager (56) led the way as the Boars reached 221, and Anam Rahim’s 3-12 hastened a Maidenhead collapse to 118 all out.

Eversley 4ths endured a disastrous day as they were thumped by 144 runs at Datchet 4ths in Division 8a.

Bob Campion took 4-40 as the hosts totalled 173-7, but Eversley capitulated to 29 all out as Jon Last’s 15 provided more than half their total.

Gary Clarke (49no) top scored for Royal Ascot 4ths (106) in their eight-wicket defeat to Newbury 2nds.

In Division 9a, Steve West (6-28) played the lead role as Finchampstead 5ths knocked Maidenhead & Bray 4ths over for 129, the visitors going on to seal a four-wicket win.