WOKINGHAM suffered their first Home Counties Premier League Division One defeat of the season as they fell to a narrow 16-run loss at Dinton, writes Richard Ashton.

The Oaks won the toss and chose to bowl, but failed to make early inroads until Ian Muirden (2-28) bowled Mark Ludlow with the score on 42.

He then trapped Will Fisher lbw before Kelvin Burrows (33) and Brennan Gough took the total to 80 before the former was caught behind by Michael Bates off the bowling of Paul Dewick.

The off spinner had Faisal Ali caught by Dan Housego, and the former Gloucestershire and Middlesex man also snared Gough for 49 off the bowling of Jacob Clark.

After Dewick (4-36) caught and bowled Asam Ashraf, the Dewick-Housego combination again combined to end Mohammed Waqar’s spritely contribution of 30 from 27 balls.

And with Shiryar Ahmed (2-32) grabbing two late wickets, Wokingham looked to have put themselves in a good position by bowling the hosts out for 191.

Stuart Parsons and James Bird put on 57 for the first wicket as the Oaks started their run chase well, although both then fell with the score on that number.

Housego and Bates (33) seemed to have their side on course for a convincing victory as they reached 118-2, but the former’s demise – trapped lbw by Fisher for 25 – heralded a dramatic collapse.

Muirden was the only other batsman to reach double figures as Wokingham imploded and were bowled out for 175, Ryan Chapman (3-29) the destroyer-in-chief.

Wokingham host Burnham – one place above the Oaks in the table – this coming Saturday.

Wokingham 2nds remain winless in Division 2b of the Thames Valley League after they went down by 91 runs at home to Wargrave.

Jack Fisher (3-23) and Anthony Clapham (3-49) bowled the Oaks into a good position as they dismissed the visitors for 221, Will Allum and Neal Robinson joint top scoring with 49.

However, Wokingham’s reply never got going as Callum Creighton top scored with a mere 26 in a total of 130.

In Division 5b, Wokingham 3rds crushed Purley on Thames 2nds by 10 wickets.

David Carpenter (4-16), Paul McCraw (4-22) and Jack Staples (2-13) ran riot as the Potters were shot out for just 66, and Jake Turner’s 44 not out from only 33 balls hustled Wokingham to victory in only 10.1 overs.

Wokingham 4ths raced to an eight-wicket success as they hammered Eversley 3rds in Division 7a.

Opening bowler Atharva Patil recorded remarkable figures of 3-0 from 7.1 overs as Eversley were skittled for 66, Alex Pearce also taking 3-9. David Healey then made 52 not out as Wokingham eased to 68-2. Toqir Khalid (69no) led Wokingham 5ths (121-3) to a seven-wicket home win against Eversley 4ths (120-8) in Division 9a.

  • WOKINGHAM crashed out of the Home Counties Premier League T20 competition at the first hurdle as they lost by 99 runs to defending champions Henley.

Mike Roberts (64), Richard Morris (46no) and Dave Allaway (34) were all among the runs as Henley racked up an imposing 173-4, and the Wokingham reply never got going.

Skipper Stuart Hayter top scored with 20 not out from 40 balls, while youngster Archie Carter chipped in with 19 as the Oaks reached 74-6.