A SPIRITED recovery after a dreadful start to their innings was not enough to prevent Wokingham from crashing to a four-wicket Home Counties Premier League Division Two defeat at Thame Town.

A number of batsmen are still struggling to find their form this season and this was underlined in no uncertain way at Church Meadow on Saturday.

George Horsley, promoted to the first team, was run out before getting off the mark, Dan Housego managed only a single and skipper Stuart Parsons was caught for seven, leaving the Oaks reeling at 8-3.

Sukhi Kang managed only five runs and James Bird nine, meaning none of the top five batsmen had got into double figures. The chief destroyer was Thame newcomer Faisal Ali with three wickets.

However, experienced pair Simon Myles and Stuart Hayter succeeded in stopping the rot, improving the score from 32-5 to 101 before Myles was dismissed for a battling 43 off 68 balls.

Jacob Clark was lbw for a duck, but former skipper Hayter and Lewis Sharp managed to add a bit more respectability to the total.

Hayter fell for 43, off 68 deliveries, while Sharp remained unbeaten on 22.

With a helpful contribution of 32 extras, the Oaks were dismissed for 167 off 48.2 overs, Ali finishing with excellent figures of 3-18 off 10 overs, while their new South African player, Johannes Van Dyk, claimed 2-33 off 10.

Unlike their visitors,Thame got off to a solid start with skipper Michael Beard (41) and Olli Ebsworth-Burland (32) putting on 74 for the first wicket.

Will Sutcliffe (14) and Beard departed in quick succession before the total had gone into three figures, while Hassam Mushtaq and van Dyke didn't last long in the middle.

But there was no further joy for the Oaks as Callum Russell (31no) and Devane Warner (15no) steered their side home at 168-6 off the first ball of the 34th over. Clark finished his 10-over stint with 2-47 and Sharp 2-55.

Wokingham will be looking for an improved performance, especially from their top order, when they host Chesham at Sadlers End this Saturday, both sides having so far recorded a win and two defeats.