READING CC look likely to be relegated from Division One of the Thames Valley League, despite an excellent three-wicket victory at home to Gerrards Cross on Saturday, writes Richard Ashton.

Shahbaz Choudhry (2-30) made an early breakthrough, but it was spinners Max Uttley (3-30) and Qasim Ali (3-46) who did the bulk of the damage for the hosts, leaving Gerrards Cross all out for 197.

Reading lost four early wickets before a vital fifth-wicket stand between Firaz Amjad (59) and Sukhi Kang (63) put them on top, and despite a minor wobble, they reached 198-7 with eight balls to spare.

However, North Maidenhead's narrow five-run win against basement boys Henley 2nds means Reading's fate is out of their own hands, as they sit 17 points behind third-bottom Slough 2nds and 19 behind Maids.

To give themselves any chance of survival, Reading must win at Falkland – skippered by Bobby Malik against his former club – and hope Slough 2nds or North Maidenhead suffer heavy defeats.

In Division 4a, Reading 2nds were beaten by eight wickets at White Waltham.

The top three of Shiva Aruna (65), Khurram Mahmood (48) and Pranav Bharadawaj (43) put the visitors in a good position at 143-1, only to see a collapse result in the falling to 182-5 before Phil Brennan's useful unbeaten 37 meant they finished their 45 overs on 231-6.

However, Reading struggled to take wickets after Azeem Qayyum removed Chris Metherell with the score on 41, and Simon Jessup (85) was the only other man to fall – caught by Brennan off Hamish Scott – as Nikhil Jathavedan (76no) and Andy Elliott (39no) timed their run chase perfectly to get home with two balls to spare.

Reading 3rds leapfrogged Theale & Tilehurst 2nds into seventh in the Division 6b table after beating their hosts by 82 runs.

Chris Reynard (114no) and Mark Spruyt (83no) were in imperious form with the bat as Reading totalled 232-1 in their 45 overs, and aside from Charles Penman (44), T&T struggled to 150 all out in reply, Srinivasan Kumar claiming 3-20.

Vernon Butcher took 4-8 and Alvin Waterman scored 51 for Reading 4ths (149), but they still ended on the losing side as they went down by 10 runs to Eversley 4ths (159).