READING are still seeking their first win of the season after losing to Shipton-under-Wychwood by 61 runs at Sonning Lane on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

Their new young captain, Firaz Amjad, worked his socks off for his side, taking two wickets with his off breaks and a catch, as well as implementing a run out.

However, the visitors kept the scoreboard ticking over nicely with useful contributions coming from most of their top batsmen at they reached 230-6 in 50 overs.

Their most prolific scorer was Anupam Sanklecha with 75 not out off 87 balls, while Andy Hemming contributed 35 and Simon Hole 30.

Amjad was the pick of the bowlers with 2-36 off 10 overs. The other wickets fell to Olly Williams (1-37), Phil Brennan (1-31) and Abid Ul Wahab (1-40).

Having shone with the bat, Sanklecha tightened his side’s grip on the game by bowling both the Reading openers, Qasim Ali for just four and Amjad for 11.

He also trapped Brennan for a duck, and the dismissals of Pav Chima (13) and Williams (6) left the hosts 46-5.

Reading Chronicle:

Reading's Olly Williams bowls to a Shipton batsman.

Ul Wahab and Waqas Ahmed worked hard to improve the position and they lifted the total to 101 before Ahmed fell for 13.

Chris Priddle was trapped leg before wicket for eight and Ul Wahab was the eighth man out, having made an eye-catching 62.

The last four wickets added only eight runs and Reading were all out for 169 in 41 overs with Anwar Whight remaining unbeaten on 27.

Hole took 4-35 off eight overs and Sanklecha 3-27 off nine.

Reading are away to Harefield this Saturday in a 50-50 game, the last before the timed fixtures commence on June 10.

In the Thames Valley League, Reading 2s crashed to an eight-wicket defeat away to Teddington Town.

They were rolled over for just 85 – having been 49-2 – with Domenic Boyce making 20 and Vince Handley 15.

The wickets were shared by Warren May with 5-29 and Amit Dobani 5-50.

Teddington lost a wicket to Shreyas Narayansamy with the total on one, but they soon recovered and stands of 36 and an unbroken 49 saw them reach their target in the 16th over.

Reading 3s lost by 25 runs away to local rivals Sonning 2s.

The hosts were dismissed for 158 with Chris Dishington taking 4-86 in 21 overs, Mahesh Gopalakrishnan 4-48 off 15 and Chris Reynard 2-8 off 6.3.

Reading 4s received a welcome 25 points when their scheduled Division 8a fixture was cancelled as Finchampstead 5s were unable to field a side.

This coming Saturday sees Reading 2s and 3s home to Slough 3s and Aldershot 3s respectively, while the 4s visit Windsor 4s.