READING 3rds won by five wickets away to Royal Ascot 3rds in Division 6b, writes Richard Ashton.

They bowled out their hosts for 151 in 41.4 overs and reached their target off the first ball of the 51st over with Mark Spruyt making 46 not out and Chris Reynard 44.

Kyle Bradley’s 36 helped Hurst 2nds to 182-8 against Aldershot 3rds (168), and Ian Harvey then took 5-40 to inspire his team to a dramatic 14-run success.

Pete Rackley struck 71 to help Purley on Thames 2nds to a 42 runs win against Sonning 2nds.

Hossnein Akram took 5-15 as the Potters were bowled out for 226, but despite Mohammed Atif’s 47, Sonning could only reach 184, Cyril Cox bagging 4-54.

Kidmore End went top of Division 2a with a thumping 154-run victory at home to basement boys Harefield 2nds.

Jake Leach (45), Anthony Holland (42) and Hamish Grant (40) led the way as the hosts were bowled out for 278, and James Frost (3-8), Guy Ashby (3-31) and Umer Faroqi (4-67) then ran through the Harefield line-up as they were knocked over for 124.

Kidmore End visit Chesham 2nds on Saturday (1pm).

A brilliant spell by Zahid Mohammed (6-32) was the catalyst for Division 2b basement dwellers Sonning to improve their survival hopes with a 10-wicket drubbing of fellow strugglers Burnham 2nds.

The hosts were bowled out for 136 and Peter Dean (79no) and Duncan Parr (52no) then chased the runs down in 24.1 overs.

Sonning host Royal Ascot this coming Saturday (1pm).

Hurst had the better of their draw at home to Yateley.

Usman Ijaz scored 59 and openers Alex Kayser and Sam Hawkes both totalled 40 in Hurst’s 207-7, and Phil Higgs then bagged 6-68 from a marathon 24-over spell as the visitors limped to 171-9.

Hurst visit Slough 2nds this Saturday (1pm).

Division 3a leaders Wargrave secured a three-wicket win at home to Fleet.

Jack Clark (4-32) and Neal Robinson (3-56) did the damage as Fleet were bowled out for 190, Howard Bywaters (90) scoring almost half their runs.

Openers Luke Taylor (76) and Mandip Sohi (42) gave Wargrave the perfect start, and despite a middle-order collapse, Wargrave got over the line.

Finchampstead 3rds are Wargrave’s hosts on Saturday (1pm).

Charlie Anstey took 4-59 and scored 66 for Newbury, but he was still on the losing side as Purley on Thames won a thriller by three runs.

The Potters were grateful for useful knocks by Richard Sandford (48) and Andy Jackson (42) as they were dismissed for 172, Trystian Williams taking 5-46.

Neil Farrow made 41 in reply, but Julian Fernando (4-45) and Caleb Maycock (3-55) starred with the ball, and a brilliant Max Baker-Smith run out of number 11 Will Davis completed the win, Newbury all out for 169.

Purley on Thames visit Falkland 2nds on Saturday (1pm).

In Division 4a, Reading 2nds did well to bowl out hosts High Wycombe 3rds for 138 in 44.4 overs, but even that modest total proved out of their reach, as they could only make 128 in reply to lose by 10 runs.

Theale & Tilehurst’s (141) Division 4b promotion hopes suffered a blow as they lost to second-placed Wooburn Narkovians (143-7) by three wickets.

Theale & Tilehurst host Marlow 2nds this Saturday (1pm).

Martin Smith took 4-43 in 17 overs and later scored 43 not out for Wargrave 2nds (156) in Division 5b, but they lost by 79 runs to Aldershot 2nds (235).

Micky Mehta made 44 not out as table-topping Theale & Tilehurst 2nds (80-4) eased to a six-wicket win against Bracknell (78) 2nds in Division 7a, while Kidmore End 2nds (218) lost by seven wickets to Fleet 2nds (219-3).

In Division 8a, Julian Wood, the former Hampshire batsman and Berkshire county skipper, made a rare appearance for Reading 4ths, when they lost at home to Royal Ascot 4ths by 123 runs.

His young son Hayden is a regular in the team.

The 48-year-old Julian hit two sixes and two fours in making a quick-fire 24 before being bowled by John Allen (4-21).

Awad Naqvi and Zishan Hussan made 33 and 25 respectively in Reading’s all-out total of 164 as they replied to Ascot’s 287-5 off 38 overs, for whom Tom Clarke made 132 not out off 162 balls including 18 boundaires and four 6s.

Clarke and Saria Muhammed (71no) added an unbroken 161 for the sixth wicket.

Of the Reading bowlers, Moeen Ul-Haq claimed 3-51 off eight overs and Julian’s young son, Hayden, 2-78 off nine.

Sachin Rance claimed 6-58 as Theale & Tilehurst 3rds (194-7) overcame Hayes 3rds (192) by three wickets, while opener Waqas Tahir struck 86 not out to guide Sonning 3rds (204-7) to a three-wicket success against Kew 4ths (200-7).

Eversley 4ths (122) beat Kidmore End 3rds (104) by 18 runs in Division 9a, while Wokingham 5ths (185) beat Wargrave 3rds (168) by 17 runs.