SUKHI Kang marked his first Home Counties Premier League Division Two appearance for Wokingham with an unbeaten half-century.

And he followed up by taking a wicket as the Oaks comfortably defeated Cookham Dean by 48 runs at Sadlers End on Saturday.

The hosts, put in to bat, made a steady start with skipper Stuart Parsons hitting 20, Michael Bates 10 and Danny Housego 30, leaving them 68-3.

This brought Kang and James Bird together and they lifted the total 153 before the latter was bowled for 46.

Kang and Stuart Hayter (16) added 41 for the fifth wicket, giving their side a 50-over total of 196-5.

Former Reading player Kang worked hard for his 52, with only 10 runs coming in boundaries. He faced 84 balls in all.

After a break for rain, the visitors were left with a revised target of 199 from 46 overs.

Iain Murden dismissed both openers, Sahan Nanayakkara and Ben Millar, for ducks, and the newly-promoted visitors were never able to recover although their middle-order did offer some resistance, with Yasir Qureshi hitting 44 and captain Pat Castleden 27, taking their side to 150-8.

With Bates donning the gloves, Kang was able to be introduced to the attack late on and the medium-pacer had Qureshi caught by Paul Dewick to finish with 1-12 off four overs.

The pick of the home attack was Iain Murden with 4-29 from nine overs, while Dewick claimed 2-27 from 10.

Wokingham are away to another newly-promoted side, Oxford Downs, this Saturday.

During the close season, improvements have been made to the Sadlers End ground, with both pitches having been completely re-dressed, re-sown and fertilised, while the main clubhouse room has been decorated.

Chairman Peter Hayter said "considerable sums of money" had been invested into the club.

On the field, Wokingham have added a seventh team, which Hayter says will increase their commitment to introducing junior members into league cricket and form a platform for the club's further growth.

His only disappointment has been the "very disappointing" support for social events and awards night at the club.