ROCK bottom Bracknell crashed to a 220-run defeat as Division 4a leaders Sonning continued their charge towards the title, writes Richard Ashton.

Australian Aaron Crofts led the charge for the hosts with a stunning 182 from 130 deliveries, and with skipper Andrew Niblett adding 64 from 63, the hosts were able to declare on 318-5 from 44 overs.

None of the Bracknell batsmen got going in reply, with Oliver Rowe (5-24) and Gus Cloete (3-10) helping roll the visitors out for just 98.

Sonning visit Bagshot 2nds this coming Saturday.

Second-placed Wokingham 3rds eased to a 108-run victory at Reading 2nds.

Rahul Patel struck an unbeaten 109 as the Oaks declared on 245-5 after 50 overs, and they then knocked over Reading for 137.

Mohammed Jamil (54) and James Bozarth (43) rescued Theale & Tilehurst (212) with a handy eighth-wicket stand as they crushed North Maidenhead 2nds (78) by 134 runs.

Jamil (5-12) completed a man-of-the-match performance and was aided by Brian Cooper (4-13) as T&T skittled their opponents.

Theale & Tilehurst host Reading 2nds on Saturday.

Ollie Newton (59no), Will Allum (55) and Taran Sohi (40) were all among the runs as Wargrave 2nds (202-5) beat Newbury (197-9) by five wickets. Tom Walker earlier took 4-85 for the home side.

In Division One, Wargrave dropped to eighth in the table after losing by 88 runs following a shocking collapse at Gerrards Cross.

Wargrave kept the hosts to 224-8 despite Chris Marrow’s unbeaten 120, but after Mandip Sohi blasted 46 from 35 balls, Wargrave crashed from 124-1 to 136 all out as Richard Knudsen (5-15) and Jonathan Denning (4-35) ran riot.

Wargrave host High Wycombe 2nds on Saturday.

Kidmore End dropped back to the foot of the Division 2a table despite having the better of their draw at home to Chesham 2nds.

Zac Leonard (61) and Abid Ul Wahab (44) led the home side to 195, and Chesham could only reply with 151-8 as Ul Wahab (4-32) and skipper James Frost (3-17) bowled impressively.

Kidmore End visit Marlow this coming Saturday.

Hurst’s (79) Division 2b title aspirations suffered a big blow as they lost by two wickets to Bagshot (83-8), the visitors falling to defeat despite the best efforts of Phil Higgs (3-34) and Andrew Ruddock (3-26).

Hurst face a key clash at home to table-topping Henley 2nds this coming Saturday.

Reading held on for a draw at table-topping Henley 2nds.

Jack Beaven took 3-74 as Henley racked up an imposing 282-5 before declaring after 51 overs, but Sunny Jheeta’s 62 and some dogged resistance ensured Reading reached 194-9 in reply.

Reading host Fleet on Saturday.

Captain Andrew Clarke made 53 and Robbie Jeffrey 47, but relegation-threatened Purley on Thames (183) lost to Farnham Royal (211-6) by 28 runs in Division 3a.

Purley on Thames visit Slough 3rds this coming Saturday.

Matt Goldbacher (3-19) and Charlie Baker (3-27) put Sulhamstead (123) in a good position after bowling Boyne Hill 2nds out for 158, but their 35-run reverse saw them slip to second-bottom in the table.

Sulhamstead travel to Cove 2nds next Saturday.

Division 6b leaders Bradfield lost for just the second time this season as they were edged out by one wicket at home to Purley on Thames 2nds.

Paul Armstrong made an unbeaten 74, but fine spells from Raj Senniappan (4-24) and Austyn Jackson (4-53) resulted in Bradfield being dismissed for 188.

David North took 4-43 to give the hosts hope, but Purley eventually reached 189-9 with 11 balls remaining to boost their own promotion hopes.

Bradfield visit Fleet 2nds on Saturday.

Hurst 2nds (187) lost to Sonning 2nds (189-3) by seven wickets, Mark Richards (4-63 and 98 not out) producing a man-of-the-match display for the away side.

Chris Aldred (58) and Al MacEwan (56) were both among the runs as Sulhamstead 2nds (200) beat Reading 3rds (172) by 28 runs.

Chris Reynard took 4-28 for Reading, but their batting never got going as Graham Smith (6-45) and Stephen Collins (4-28) worked their way through the home batting line-up.

Ram Sankaran snared 4-24 for Theale & Tilehurst 2nds (81), but they went down by four wickets to Fleet 2nds (82-6).

Kidmore End 2nds’ (189) Division 7a promotion hopes suffered a blow as they went down by four wickets to Slough 5ths (190-6), despite Umer Faroqi taking 4-48.Wokingham 4ths (86) crashed to a seven-wicket defeat to Wargrave 3rds (89-3), Alex Hands grabbing 5-19 for the visitors.

Bradfield 2nds (137-7) remain second in Division 8a after beating Thatcham Town 3rds (136) by seven wickets, while Finchampstead 5ths were forced to concede their game with Theale & Tilehurst 3rds.

Kidmore End 3rds conceded their Division 9a game at Maidenhead & Bray 4ths, while the match between Sonning 3rds and Wargrave 4ths was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Reading 4ths had a bye week.