READING CC failed to capitalise on a promising start and suffered a three-wicket defeat at Burnham on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

The Home Counties Premier League Division One strugglers reached 144-4 and looked on course to reach skipper Bobby Malik’s pre-match target of at least 250, which he felt would prove a winning score.

But the last six wickets produced only 16 runs, with the final three all tumbling on 163 as paceman Adnan Malik completed a memorable hat-trick.

It was a disappointing total after they had made one of their best starts for some time with Qasim Ali and Firaz Amjad putting on 50 for the first wicket.

However, both openers fell in the space of six runs with Amjad being bowled for 36 and Ali being caught for 13.

Martin Andersson (34) and Amardeep Dosanjh (16) took the total to 89 before both fell to catches by keeper Raja Rehman.

Phil Brennan (24) and Jack Beaven (22) lifted the score to 144, but Brennan’s dismissal, again to a catch behind, signalled the beginning of the end of the innings.

Malik’s treble at the expense of Pav Chima, debutant Hamish Scott and Chris Dishington saw him finish with 5-22 of 7.3 overs, while Aftab Khan took 3-45.

Rehman ended with five dismissals.

But his joy turned to misery when he opened the innings for Burnham. With eight runs to his name, he was caught by Brennan at mid-on off a full toss from Beaven.

Omer Siddique (47), Nas Ahmed (18) and skipper Aftab Khan (29) improved their side’s position, with Kumar contributing 30.

Andersson took two wickets in an over followed by one from Malik to send the home side sliding from 157-4 to 161-7 before they sealed victory in the 46th over.

Andersson finished with 2-42, Malik 3-43 and Beaven 2-53.

Beaven has moved up to second place in the league’s bowling averages with a total of 30 wickets, nine behind the leader, Finchampstead’s Jandre Coetzee.

Reading, who remain second from bottom, are home to fifth-placed Slough on Saturday in the last of the season’s 120-over fixtures.

Reading 2nds got back to winning ways by beating Yateley 2nds by two wickets to climb off the bottom of the Thames Valley League’s Division 3a.

They owed much to Khurram Mahmood who hammered an excellent 83 to help his side reach 167-8 off 37 overs. The next highest scorer was Dani Katuri with 23 not out.

Seven of the wickets fell to Tom Nicholls for 46 runs in 15 overs.

Earlier, the hosts had bowled out Yateley for 164 with Raja Khan taking 3-43, Katuri 3-42 and Chaminda Alocious 2-20.

Reading, who move up to eighth in the table, are away to third placed Newbury this week.

But Reading 3rds slip to bottom spot in Division 5b following a heavy 157-run defeat by Maidenhead & Bray 2nds.

The hosts raced to 250-7dec off 50 overs with Shreyas Narayanasmy taking 3-40 and Aleem Qayyum 3-89.

Shreyas’s father, Nat, top scored with 28 as Reading were rolled over for just 93 in 26.1 overs, their chief destroyer being Sachin Moudgil with 7-27 off 13.1 overs.

In Division 8a, Reading 4ths managed to hold on for a draw, finishing on 164-9 off 43 overs as they replied to Royal Ascot 4ths’ 179-8 off 47 overs.