DAN Housego and Michael Bates led Wokingham to a welcome Home Counties Premier League Division Two win over Chesham at Sadlers End on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

The Oaks limited the visitors to 203-9 in their 50 overs and reached their target in the 39th over for the loss of just three wickets.

Player-coach Housego remained unbeaten on 80, while wicketkeeper Bates scored 70 to follow up his four catches behind the stumps.

It was a much-needed victory for the side, who had not made the best of starts to the season with two defeats in the opening three games.

They got off to a promising start with Jacob Clark having Josh Drage and Robin Pritchard caught by Bates, both having just made a single, but the hosts were then held up by Matt Rance and Andy Goddard, the pair lifting the total from 20-2 to 115.

Both were dispatched in quick succession with Rance being snapped up by Clark off the bowling of Simon Myles for a well-made 73, while Bates claimed his third dismissal when Lewis Sharp found the edge of Goddard's (37) bat.

The Wokingham attack chipped away at the rest of the innings, and they must have been well pleased to see their visitors finish with just 203 runs on the board.

Clark was the pick of the attack with 4-45, while Jarrett Bobb claimed 2-36, both off 10 overs.

In their previous games, the Oaks had lost early wickets for not many runs, and the pattern continued with Archie Carter lbw for six and Stuart Parsons bowled for nine, leaving their side 18-2.

However, Housego and Bates, both looking increasingly comfortable, laid the foundations for the win, adding 100 off 91 balls in 51 minutes.

The partnership was worth 125 when Bates sent a Matt Rance delivery straight into the hands of Matt Warner at long-on, his 70 coming off 72 balls and containing a six and nine fours.

Sukhi Kang joined Housego and they never looked in trouble, guiding their side home with more than 11 overs to spare.

Housego's 80 came off 97 balls, striking a maximum and six boundaries along the way, while Kang made 36 from 44 deliveries.

Wokingham move up to sixth in the table ahead of a tough trip to pace-setting Oxford, who have won all four of their matches so far.

In Division 3a of the Thames Valley League, Wokingham 2nds (59-0) thrashed Finchampstead 3rds (57) by 10 wickets.

Jake Fisher took 5-14 and Charlie Carter 4-17 for the Oaks.

A stunning century from Jake Turner (100no from 88 balls) fired Wokingham 3rds to a narrow two-wicket success at home to Sonning in Division 4a.

Turner had earlier taken 4-22 to restrict the visitors to 198, and his wonderful innings got his side over the line with almost 10 overs to spare.

Wokingham 4ths (185) lost to Kidmore End 2nds (186-7) by three wickets in Division 7a, but Wokingham 5ths collected 20 Division 8a points after Royal Ascot 4ths conceded their game.

Wokingham Oaks & Acorns forfeited their Division 9a game with Marlow Park.

Last Friday, Wokingham defeated an MCC XI by two wickets at Sadlers End.

The visitors recovered from 39-3 to post 244-5 in 45 overs with Billy Mead making 106, including 17 boundaries, from 114 balls, and Andy Viney 56, the pair putting on 142 for the fourth wicket.

There were usual contributions in Wokingham's excellent reply of 245-8 with Ben Green and Stuart Hayter both making 51, Parsons 42, Sharp 23, Will Legg 22, Fisher 21 and Anthony Clapham 20.