ROYAL Ascot 2nds were relegated from Division 4a after they were beaten by 101 runs at home to Sulhamstead, writes Richard Ashton.

Jamie Seward (54), Chris Mercer (54) and Marc Thompson (40) were all among the runs as Sully put on 267-8, Charlie Dunnett the pick of the bowlers with 3-36.

That total never looked like being chased as Matt Gill picked up 3-32, Josh Jayasingh’s 47 the main resistance as Ascot were bowled out for 166.

Eversley ended a successful season in third place in Division 2a after beating runners-up Marlow by four wickets.

Alex Sykes took 3-29 as the Boars bowled their opponents out for 263, and with James Magowan (92) and Tom Nichols (48no), they were able to chase their target in 42.4 overs.

Royal Ascot ended their Division 2b campaign on a high with a six-wicket victory at Thatcham Town.

Will Ellison took 3-32 as the hosts were bowled out for 180, and with Nick Sweetman (51) and James Gamble (50) recording half centuries, Ascot reached 181-4 with four overs to spare.

Gary Loveday made a brilliant 106 for fourth-placed Finchampstead 2nds (241-7), but they lost by five wickets to Wargrave (242-5), Michael Cowdell (89) and Imran Malik (67no) helping the hosts seal the runners-up spot and promotion.

Hurst finished second bottom after losing by five wickets at Aldershot.

Ollie Lovegrove top scored with 67 as the visitors were dismissed for 179, and despite Aryan Joshi claiming 3-36, Aldershot passed the target in the 32nd over.

Captain Jarrett Bobb (55) and Manpreet Singh (44) batted well for relegated Wokingham 2nds (243), but they fell to a seven-wicket defeat at home to champions High Wycombe 2nds (245-3).

In Division 3a, Finchampstead 3rds (77) ended their season on a low note with an eight-wicket reverse at Bagshot (78-2).

Division 4a champions Binfield ended their campaign with another resounding victory, overcoming Newbury by 93 runs.

Binfield were actually in deep trouble at 58-7, but an excellent knock from Duncan Wessels (71) helped them recover to 160.

Newbury again appeared to be on top as they reached 55-2, but a staggering collapse in the face of fine spells from Jack Collett (5-13) and Matt Hayman (3-20) saw them lose eight wickets for 12 runs as they were shot out for just 67.

Jake Turner blasted an unbeaten 73 from just 69 balls to steer Wokingham 3rds (140-2) to an eight-wicket home win against Falkland 3rds (139), a result which secured the Division 5b title. Alex Pearce earlier starred with the ball in taking 3-26.

Peter Henly grabbed 4-19 for Bracknell (93-2), who just missed out on promotion despite beating Aldershot 2nds (92) by eight wickets.

Fourth-placed Eversley 2nds ended with a 63-run success at relegated Sonning 2nds.

James Berger-North (55) and Alex Crowder-Johnson (51) batted well in the middle order to lead the Boars to 229-8 in their 45 overs, and with Dave Howorth taking 3-35, they were able to bowl the hosts out for 166.

Runners-up Binfield 2nds completed their maiden Division 6b campaign with a convincing eight-wicket triumph at Reading 3rds.

Nathan Warwick grabbed 5-23 as the hosts were restricted to 181-9, and Will Sennett (66no) and Steve Jeffrey (62) then ensured the run chase proved an easy affair, Binfield getting home in 30.5 overs.

Finchampstead 4ths (167) lost by four wickets to Theale & Tilehurst 2nds (168-6) – for whom Mo Jamil made 65 – while Hurst 2nds collected 20 points after basement boys Burnham 4ths conceded their game.

In Division 7a, Mohammed Ghafoor (41 and 3-51) impressed with bat and ball for Wokingham 4ths (160), but they went down by four wickets to Sulhamstead 2nds (161-6).

Stephen Collins had proved the destroyer-in-chief for Sully with 5-35.

Jeremy Wing’s 79 proved key in helping Royal Ascot 3rds (194-8) beat Newbury 2nds (172) by 22 runs, while relegated Eversley 3rds (178-5) rounded off a disappointing season with a five-wicket success against cellar-dwellers Theale & Tilehurst 3rds (174-8).

Bracknell 2nds finished third in Division 8a after picking up 20 points due to a forfeiture from Sonning 3rds, while Satpal Madhan’s 5-43 inspired Royal Ascot 4ths to a three-wicket success at home to Bradfield 2nds.

Jamie Farrow top scored with 54 as the visitors totalled 203-9 in their 40 overs, but Madhan completed a wonderful all-round display by making 62 to lead Ascot to 206-7.

Wokingham 5ths snatched the Division 9a title from Finchampstead 5ths with a final-day seven-wicket triumph at Reading 4ths.

Hazel Wilkinson (6-48) was the star for the Oaks as she helped dismiss the home side for 163, Gaajuran Ganagabalan making 57, and Wokingham eased to 166-3 in 29.4 overs in reply sealed the victory.

Fifteen-year-old Layla Judge took a hat-trick in her spell of 4-29 as third-placed Eversley 4ths (178-8) beat Newbury 3rds (152-7) by 26 runs.

Robin Brooks batted well to make an unbeaten 74 for the Boars in the first innings.