READING 1sts' 651-day wait for a victory was finally ended as they edged out Henley 2nds by six runs in a Thames Valley League Division One cracker, writes Richard Ashton.

Reading's previous victory had occurred way back on August 13, 2016 – a two-wicket success at Harefield when both sides were still in Division One of the Home Counties League – but their new-look side finally ended the drought.

Henley chose to field and made early inroads as Reading crashed to 19-2, Simon Wheeler accounting for Pav Chima and Qasim Ali.

Curran Gaur and Billy Rogers (33) put on 65 for the third wicket before the latter was caught by youngster Liam Hilditch off the bowling of Nigel Dunstan.

Gaur continued to 57 until off spinner Zippy Ashraf had him caught by Prakash Gurung, and when Wheeler knocked over Sukhi Kang (34) and Firaz Amjad with the score on 169, the writing appeared to be on the wall for the visitors.

However, captain Mitun Patel played a gem of an innings by scoring 35 from just 26 balls until he was run out by Dunstan off the final ball of the innings, leaving Reading 236-9 in their 50 overs.

Wheeler was the pick of the attack with figures of 5-25.

Henley reached 42 before Ashraf edged Shahbaz Choudry behind to the grateful Kang, although the experienced Chris Ellison (38) and the more youthful Will Legg (36) put their side back on track.

Ellison was caught by Amjad off Rogers to make it 104-2, before Henley remarkably lost four wickets for four runs to collapse from 119-2 to 123-6.

Legg was first to go, bowled by Max Uttley (2-37), and he then had Nathan Hopkins caught by Rogers for a third-ball duck.

Hilditch suffered the same fate when he was trapped lbw by Rogers (2-44), and when Uttley ran out Gurung, Henley were reeling.

Zac Jones (54) and skipper Charlie Homewood arrested the slump, taking the score to 197 before the pivotal departure of Jones – caught and bowled by Amjad.

Ali removed Dunstan with just a single added, and the game looked over when Amjad (2-6 off six overs) trapped Sean Taylor in front to make it 206-9.

Homewood (46no) battled away, but last man Wheeler was also adjudged lbw to Ali (2-29) to leave Henley 230 all out with three overs remaining.

Reading host Stoke Green this coming Saturday.

In Division 4a, Reading 2nds were also involved in a thriller, scraping past Henley 3rds by two wickets.

Andrew Hester (41) and Adam Lubbock (33) led the way for Henley as they totalled 181-9 in 45 overs, Pritesh Benawra grabbing three wickets and Azeem Qayyum a brace.

Khurram Mahmood and Vikramjit Sidhu (38) set the base for the run chase with a solid opening stand, although there was little support other than from Phil Brennan (31).

However, Benawra and Qayyum held their nerve to take their side over the line with 55 balls to spare.

Reading 3rds picked up their first win of the Division 6b season with a hard-fought 20-run triumph at home to Cove 3rds.

Pranav Mahesh (44) top scored and No. 9 Mahesh Gopalakrishnan added 42 as Reading were bowled out for 172, but fine spells from Vishaal Kumar (4-41) and Srinivasan Kumar (3-30) ended with Cove 152 all out.

In Division 9a, Reading 4ths (173-9) lost to Finchampstead 5ths (226-4) by 53 runs despite Alvin Waterman's 52.