WARFIELD just got the better of a thrilling draw at home to Knowl Hill as they kept their Division Two promotion hopes alive, writes Richard Ashton.

Luke Dollard’s unbeaten 42 from 43 balls helped the home side post 176-6, before Knowl Hill fell agonisingly short of their target on 175-8.

Second-placed West Reading 3rds slipped to a shock six-wicket defeat at Peppard Stoke Row 3rds.

Najam Raja struck a brilliant 112 not out as Wests totalled 223-8, but fine innings from James Hern (52), Under 15 Daniel Watts (51) – his maiden half century in adult cricket – and Matt Vines (40no) guided PSR to victory with 20 balls to spare.

Suvo Datta (115 from 88 balls) and Ian Herrington (100no from 67) both scored rapid hundreds as Welford Park 2nds (290-6) had the better of their draw at Wokingham 6ths (149-8).

Yasir Bandey took 4-21 for the visitors, while Chinmay Kulkarni (45) top scored for the Oaks.

James Leach (51) and Abdul Kuddush (40) batted well for Purley on Thames 3rds (135), but they lost by three wickets to Sulhamstead 3rds (136-7), for whom Madhur Sharma (52) starred.

Amol Tyagi (4-34) starred with the ball as Premier Division leaders Checkendon (97-6) beat Woodcote (95) by four wickets in their derby.

Ryan van Heerden took 3-32 for Cote.

Mohamed Rimzan blasted an astonishing 76 from just 41 balls batting at No. 9 as second-placed Woodley recovered superbly to smash Goring by 101 runs.

Despite Fasul Nufail’s 57, the home side collapsed to 102-7 in light of a fine spell from Parvesh Dabra (6-35), but Rimzan and Naveed Ashgar (47) put on 113 before Woodley were eventually bowled out for 243, Toby Winterbottom grabbing 3-17.

Aside from Dabra (41), Goring struggled in reply, and Rimzan (6-43) completed a brilliant all-round performance to help dismiss the visitors for 142.

Mortimer West End’s title hopes suffered a big blow as they lost by six wickets at struggling Ibis Mapledurham.

George Williams top scored with 40 as West End were bowled out for 186 – Lewis Hart claiming 4-34 – and an unbroken 129-run stand for the fifth wicket between captain Matt Jones (71no) and Luke Whiley (57no) steered Ibis (189-4) to victory with 21 balls in hand.

Sandhurst held on for a battling draw in their home game against BCS.

Jibran Nasir (95no), Waqas Ashraf (46) and Umer Chaudhary (45) were all among the runs as the visitors racked up 271-7, Simon Hards the pick of the attack with 3-40 from his nine overs.

Adam Birch (56) and brother James (55) had the Camels going along nicely, but their departure sparked a collapse against Humza Tanveer (4-23) which ultimately forced Sandhurst to hang on at 190-9.

In Division One, table-toppers Shinfield eased to a nine-wicket victory at Peppard Stoke Row 2nds.

Andrew Prowse (3-15) and Anuraag Shukla (3-10) helped the visitors dismiss PSR for 114, and Fakhir Ali’s unbeaten 59 fast-tracked his side to victory in just 15 overs.

Stratfield Turgis remain second after they had the better of a draw at home to Waltham St Lawrence.

Manoj George (86) and Luke Anthony (65) were among the runs as Stratfield reached 253-9, Chris England taking 7-64.

Opener Sree Venkata made 53 in reply, but it was left to Chris Waghorn (68no) to shepherd the Saints to 199-8, Craig Strudley (4-39) the pick of the attack.

Captain Shiva Nagam (7-39) inspired Twyford & Ruscombe (143-4) to a six-wicket success against Woodley 2nds (142).

Gowtham Payavula took 3-38 for Woodley.

Adnan Raja made a majestic 104 not out to fire West Reading 2nds to a seven-wicket triumph at home to Crowthorne & Crown Wood 2nds.

Tom Nash (61) and Andrew Baines (43) were in form as the Crows posted 231-5, Mohammed Asif bagging 3-52.

In reply, Raja, Emad Khan (41) and Waseem Ameen (41no) made light of the chase, Wests sealing victory in 40.2 overs.

Basement boys Hawley conceded their game at second-bottom Earley.

Mike Cook scored an incredible 162 not out as Division Three leaders Mortimer West End 2nds won their top-of-the-table clash against West Reading 4ths by 94 runs.

Josh Beale added 54 as MWE clocked up an impressive 320-3, and Hugh Patrick’s 4-47 proved useful in bowling Wests out for 226.

No. 9 Harris Mushtaq (75) and opener Abdur Raheem (61) were the main run scorers for the visitors.

Liam Prowse’s 53 not out led Shinfield 3rds (235-7) to a three-wicket victory against Binfield 3rds (234-6), while a fine partnership between John Cartledge (71no) and Venkata Adapa (70no) guided Crowthorne & Crown Wood 3rds (257-4) to a six-wicket success at Falkland Development (255-7).

Ben Thomas made 60 for the home side, with Adapa the pick of the Crows attack with 3-49.

  • BERKSHIRE, Mid Bucks and Chilterns Championship leaders Chalfont St Giles suffered a first defeat of the season as they lost by 34 runs at Ruislip Victoria.

Faisal Ansari scored 48 for the hosts as they were bowled out for 213, Chalfont captain Chris Cross bagging 7-53.

Only Dan Heaney (42) got going in the chase, and the visitors were bowled out for 179, Zafran Akhtar claiming 3-17.

Second-placed Harpsden clung on for a draw in their derby with Peppard Stoke Row.

Max Baker-Smith (53) and Scott Harris (42) impressed for the visitors as they totalled 226-8, and with Dion Sampson (4-40) and Harris (3-44) on form with the ball, Harpsden had to settle in making 143-9.

Rock bottom Crowthorne & Crown Wood suffered another battering as they went down to an eight-wicket home defeat against Ley Hill.

Only two Crows batsman reached double figures as they were shot out for 71, Richard Clarke (4-15) and Craig Ottoway (3-25) doing the damage.

It took just 16 overs for Ley Hill to knock the runs off, skipper Craig Peterson making 44 not out.

Nasser Satti’s brilliant 97 not out helped Braywood (202-4) beat Penn & Tylers Green (201-8) by six wickets.

Johnny Hughes earlier top scored with 40 for the visitors, while Mohammed Waheed snared 3-58.

Usman Tariq (116) and Adam Davidson (95) shared an opening partnership of 206 as West Reading dominated their draw at second-bottom Welford Park.

Sohail Arshad added 61 as Wests posted a mammoth 367-5, but with Michael Goldsworthy (65) and Will Herrington (62no) batting well, the hosts ended on 251-4.

  • EMMBROOK & Bearwood remain rooted to the foot of the Chilterns League Premier Division after they were thrashed by nine wickets at Downley.

The Bears were bowled out for 131, and it took Downley just 26 overs to knock the runs off.

In Division Three, Emmbrook & Bearwood 2nds lost to Penn & Tylers Green 2nds by three wickets.

Joe Williams top scored with 59 as the Bears were bowled out for 144, and despite Will Wells grabbing 4-53, Penn got home in the 37th over.