SREE Venkata made a brilliant 80 to lead Waltham St Lawrence to a first Division One victory of the season, the Saints easing to a five-wicket success at Crowthorne & Crown Wood 2nds, writes Richard Ashton.

Simon Sheppard top scored with 39 as the Crows were restricted to 151-8 in their 45 overs, and Waltham (152-5) reached their target with more than 10 overs to spare.

Noel Joseph made a sensational 72 not out batting at No. 9, and Amit Rawal (57) was also among the runs as Shinfield declared on 244-8 from 36 overs in their draw with Earley.

Gary Shacklady (3-48) and Sean Vis (3-54) were the pick of the hosts’ attack, while Shacklady also went on to make 50 in the chase.

Fellow opener Owen Bye chipped in with 40 and Vinod Aduri made 56, but a fine spell from Muhammed Hafeez (3-39), ensured Earley could only reach 227-6 in reply.

Tajdar Jawaid (41) led the way for Woodley 2nds as they had the better of a draw with Stratfield Turgis.

Craig Strudley claimed 3-25 as Woodley were dismissed for 157, but Pradeep Kadloor’s 3-12 ensured the hosts could only reach 130-8 in reply.

Shiva Nagam (4-6) proved too hot to handle for Peppard Stoke Row 2nds (74) as they were crushed by 10 wickets by Twyford & Ruscombe (80-0), Sravan Thatta (41no) and Stuart Barrable (38no) blasting the home side to victory in just 11.1 overs.

Hawley conceded their game at West Reading 2nds.

Tom Hale (3-29) helped Farley Hill shock Berkshire County Sports by five wickets in the Premier Division.

Only Mohammed Omer (73no) got going for BCS as they were knocked over for 147, and Farley made their way to the target on the back of an unbeaten 53 from Ali Jalil.

Captain Fasul Nufail (44) helped Woodley (166) to a 70-run success against Mortimer West End.

Opposing skipper Nick Kingston was in brilliant form with the ball as he took 6-29, aided by Ashok Singh (3-39).

However, West End’s top order was blown away by Mohammed Junees (4-15), and despite a rally from Amjad Ali (43), Miraque Bsdurdeen (3-22) worked his way through the lower order to leave MWE 96 all out.

Checkendon marginally had the better of their draw in a tight clash with neighbours Goring on Thames.

Josh Acland-Hood struck a magnificent 109 not out and Ashish Talreja added a quickfire 55 as Checks posted 209-7, Jonny Khokhar grabbing 3-37.

George Taylor smashed 90 from only 46 balls to put the visitors in command, but a tidy spell from Shiva Aruna (3-53) meant Goring blocked out on 197-9.

Adam Battison struck 70 to help Sandhurst to a winning draw at home to Ibis Mapledurham.

Lewis Hart was the pick of the visiting attack with 4-42 as the Camels reached 213-7, but despite Dave Drury’s 46, Ibis could only make it to 196-7 in reply.

Lucky Sardar’s sensational 95 from 72 balls helped Shinfield 2nds to a 117-run victory at home to Welford Park 2nds in Division Two.

Saketh Chodimella added 48 in Shinfield’s total of 229-9, a fine recovery from 78-5 as Rob Hill took 4-52.

Welford were reduced to 33-7 in the run chase as Hassan Safdar (4-27) and Kiran Alluri (3-27) ran riot, and despite a brave rearguard, they were eventually bowled out for 112.

A brilliant unbeaten 101 from Julian Fernando inspired Purley on Thames 3rds to a dramatic two-wicket home win against Sandhurst 2nds.

Skipper Mark Clapham (50no) and Kevin Speakman (41) impressed as the Camels totalled 209-9, but Fernando’s innings saw his side home.

Fahad Raja and Zain Ahmed (both 3-15) did the damage for West Reading 3rds (112-1) as they hammered Sulhamstead 3rds by nine wickets. Raja (50no) and Kaseem Ali (53no) raced Wests to victory in only 14.2 overs.

Prasad Kulkarni (3-25) was in good form for Wokingham 6ths as they recorded back-to-back wins courtesy of a four-wicket success at home to Warfield.

David Wilson top scored with 43 as the visitors were dismissed for 156, and Toqir Khalid’s patient 49 helped the Oaks to victory.

Peppard Stoke Row 3rds conceded their game with Knowl Hill.

In Division Three, a superb unbeaten 41 from Anthony Smith helped Mortimer (102-2) to a convincing eight-wicket success against Shinfield 3rds (100), Craig North (3-16) having starred with the ball for the home side.

Mortimer West End 2nds (205-9) beat Earley 2nds (165) by 40 runs.

Ram Devarakonda (69) and Richard Higginson (56) put on 107 for the first wicket as Binfield 3rds (186-5) beat Crowthorne & Crown Wood 3rds by 37 runs.

Shreyas Nandanavanam (70) made almost half the runs for the Crows, but fine spells from Nathan Warwick (4-32) and Rob Carson (3-26) saw them come up short.

Waltham St Lawrence 2nds conceded their game at home to Falkland Development.

  • CROWTHORNE & Crown Wood crashed to a 56-run reverse at Braywood in the Berkshire, Mid Bucks and Chilterns Championship.

Oliver Chaplin (3-29) and Jeff Cluett (3-47) put the Crows in a good position as the hosts were dismissed for 183, Yaser Ahmed top scoring with 54.

Captain Nick Outram made 63 in reply, but Raza Farooq (6-12) proved the difference, Crowthorne bowled out for 127.

Harpsden top the table after beating West Reading by three wickets.

Sohail Arshad scored 52 as Wests were bowled out for 207, Tom Hancock (3-29) and Ed Birkett (3-31) the standout performers with the new ball for the home side.

Atif Nasim took 3-54 as Wests fought back, but Sam Imlay’s 74 proved key in helping Harpsden home with more than 17 balls to spare.

Spin twins Chris Cross (5-38) and Alex Heaney (4-42) did the damage for Chalfont St Giles (176-2) as they thumped Peppard Stoke Row (175) by eight wickets.

Alex Hardy (56no), Simon Lancaster (53) and Chris Baumohl (45no) eased Chalfont home.

Captain Craig Peterson (144) made the second highest score by a visiting batsman at Welford Park as Ley Hill got the better of a draw.

Lewis Thompson (95) was also in fine nick during a second-wicket stand of 199 as Ley Hill amassed a huge 296-6 before declaring after 50 overs, Will Herrington taking 4-57.

Herrington (77) and skipper Ben Myles (79) were also in form with the bat as Park reached 190-2, but Thompson (3-64) triggered a collapse which left the home side hanging on at 228-8.

Ruislip Victoria picked up their first win of the campaign with a five-wicket triumph at home to Penn & Tylers Green.

Gavin Waite struck an unbeaten 97 as Penn were bowled out for 178, Puneet Kapoor (3-10) and Umair Maan (3-27) the destroyers-in-chief.

Opening batsman Surinder smashed 50 and with Sak Bhatti adding an excellent 75 in the middle order, Ruislip got home in the 34th over despite Raunak Biswas’ 3-36.