EVERSLEY maintained their impressive run in Division 2a of the TVL by defeating second-placed North Maidenhead by seven runs.

After their thrilling seven-run win they are now in fourth place on 195 points, just two points behind last Saturday’s opponents.

Harefield 2nds are also in the mix, but none of the top four look capable of catching champions-elect Finchampstead 2nds.

Electing to bat first, Eversley were dismissed for 192 in 51.3 overs with Tom Howorth scoring 53, Matt Salter 37 and James Magowan 31.

North Maidenhead made a gallant effort to reach their target, but fell just short on 185, with Lewis Sharp taking 4-19 and Chris Last 3-37.

Eversley will be looking to make it four wins in succession when they entertain seventh-placed Marlow Park this Saturday.

Hurst crashed to a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Slough 2nds in Division 2b.

Phil Higgs hammered 56 and Usman Ijaz 31 in their total of 162 all out, with Nadeem Syed (6-47) taking the bowling honours for Slough.

The Hurst attack struggled to make much of an impression against the home batsmen and, with Faisal Khan making 60 and Ali Ahmed 34, Slough coasted home at 165-3 off the penultimate ball of the 37th over.

Hurst, who slip down to third place, are at home this Saturday to Royal Ascot, the side that took over second place following a 10-wicket demolition of bottom club Chiswick & Whitton when they needed only 126 to win.

Eversley 2nds remain second bottom of Division 3a after losing to third-placed Purley by five wickets.

Former England player Aftab Habib made an excellent 93 in his side’s all out total of 233 in 51 overs, but that total was nowhere near good enough as Purley cruised home at 234-5 in 37.5 overs with Paul Reber contributing 54.

Eversley visit seventh-placed Falkland 2nds this Saturday.

Royal Ascot 2nds stayed hot on the heels of the top two sides in Division 5b by edging home by 13 runs against neighbours Bracknell.

Ascot, in third spot, move on to 219 points, 14 behind leaders Bagshot 2nds and three adrift of Boyne Hill 2nds in second place.

Henry Chapman remained unbeaten on 70 in Ascot’s total of 236-6 off 52 overs after they had been put into bat.

With Ty Winter in great form with the bat, Bracknell made a spirited effort to reach target and Winter hammered 90 before his side were all out for 223 in 47 overs.

Half the wickets fell to Rob Major, who recorded figures of 5-67.

Bracknell remain fourth in the table but are 51 points behind Ascot.

The Larges Lane men are away to second-bottom Sonning 2nds this weekend, while Ascot have a home game with tailenders Falkland 3rds.

In Division 6b, second-in-the-table Royal Ascot 3rds were bowled out for 205 in 46.3 overs before dismissing sixth-placed Hurst 2nds for 193.

Ascot host Theale & Tilehurst 2nds, who are down in eighth place, this Saturday, while Hurst make the short trip to play the third team, Wokingham 3rds.

Dave Howarth hammered 91 as Eversley 3rds posted a useful 255-5dec off 46 overs before restricting Kidmore End 2nds to 229-8 off 44 overs with Matt Reardon-Brown taking 4-70 off 15 overs.

Eversley, who remain second in Division 7a, are home to the side immediately below them, Yateley 3rds, this weekend with just six points splitting the local rivals.

Bracknell 2nds lost by 66 runs to unbeaten Division 7a leaders Finchampstead 4ths after being dismissed for 159 in 35 overs.

They were replying to the home side’s 225-4dec (Tom Potter 133no, Matt Eldridge 71) off 43 overs.

Karthik Ramanujam made 43 for Bracknell, while Paul Bray contributed 31 and Chris White 25 with Liam Matthews taking 8-41 off 11 overs for the title favourites.

Bracknell, eighth in the standings, take on bottom club Theale & Tilehurst 3rds at Larges Lane this weekend.

In Division 8a, Eversley 4ths (156-9) just managed to hold out for a draw against Bagshot 3rds, who declared on 201-9 after 45.2 overs with skipper Richard Rowlett scoring 83.

Tom Critchley was the pick of the Eversley bowlers, taking late wickets to finish with 3-23 off 7.2 overs.

Dan Mallett, batting at No. 8, made 59 in Royal Ascot 4ths’ total of 161, but that proved no problem for Sonning 3rds, who took just 24.1 overs to win the game by six wickets with Bhuwan Satwah leading the charge with 84 not out.

Ascot are away to Reading 4ths this weekend with both sides struggling in the bottom three of the table.