Double dose of defeat

Falkland crash at home and Thatcham take a beating at Kew

FALKLAND were sent to the bottom of the embryo Home Counties Premier League table as Oxford underlined their quality with a 165-run at Enborne Lodge on Saturday.

After recovering from 54-3, Oxford posted a daunting 301-6 and eventually established a stranglehold on the home side to whip out seven wickets for 35 runs to end hopes of a second successive draw.

George Trewby's decision to under the visitors looked like paying off as they lost those three wickets. But the experienced Stuart Laudat and Jamie Perkin took charge as they posted a stand of 158, the former falling one short of his century and Perkin going on to score 80 with Stuart Hole adding an unbeaten 49.

Neil Gunter's 3-88 was the best bowling return.

Falkland suffered an early blow when they lost Jim Ettridge for a duck, but Will Challoner and debutant Hamza Riazuddin looked comfortable until the Hampshire player was snapped up by Perkin off Stuart Hole for 19.

Challoner and Steve Pope added another 44 through tea, but then it all folded. Challoner's departure for 61 came at the heart of a crash of wickets as Ian Evans snapped up 4-6 in a quickfire burst, Shamilal Mendis 3-20 and paceman Usram Arif 2-48 and Falkland were all out for 136 in the 41st over.

THATCHAM also came unstuck in their second outing of the season in Division One of the Morrant Thames Valley League, going down by 125 runs at Kew. It was a blank day for the Thatcham attack as Kew openers Bruce Friderichs (167 not out) and Ian Maynard (116 not out) posted 314 in 48 overs before declaring.

Thatcham limped to 189 all out, thanks to an unbeaten 50 from Chris Bird, but netted only four points.

NEWBURY and Gerrards Cross II battled to a tie in Division Three A, Newbury posting 216 in the maximum 52 overs with Sastry's 52 the top score, and Cross just missing out at 216-7 in response.

BERKSHIRE are through to the quarter-finals of the Minor Counties' KO Cup after winning their third Group four game in succession by when defeating Norfolk by eight wickets at Falkland's ground on a cold and windy Sunday.

Berkshire bowled out the visitors for 182 with skipper Bjorn Mordt taking the bowling honours with 4-31. David Barnes then hit 82 not out and James Morris 50 not out as Berkshire eased to 183-2 to win with more than eight overs to spare.