Losing streaks continue
Falkland and Thatcham go down on their travels and Newbury join the beaten crew at Ascot
IT WAS another disappointing day for Falkland and Thatcham as they slipped to their second defeat in three league outings this season.
Falkland's patched-up side faced the daunting task of taking on reigning Home Counties Premier League champions Henley on their own track, but showed some spirit before going down by five wickets.
They promoted Neil Gunter to open the batting alongside Tom Heath and the pace bowler top-scored for the visitors.
He and Heath (17) shared in a useful opening stand before Gunter and Hampshire's Hamza Riazuddin combined to steer Falkland into three figures. Gunter went on to make 57 and Riazuddin 47 with Stephen Pope adding 22 before the wickets began to all.
Ollie Green made 15, but the tail flapped as Henley's Berkshire attack ran through the lines with Carl Crowe taking 4-37 and Tom Lambert 3-25, Bjorn Mordt and David Allaway also snapping up wickets as Falkland were dismissed for 182 just inside 60 overs.
When Joel Martin had Davis Barnes snapped up by Gunter and Stewart Davison was also removed, Falkland had hope. But former Hampshire man Jono McLean (49), Euan Brock (36) and Mordt (38) hauled Henley towards the target, and Crowe's unbeaten 31 took them over the finishing line to 186-5 in 40 overs to leave Falkland in bottom spot in the Division One table.
THATCHAM'S trip to May's Bounty ended in defeat as Basingstoke recorded their first win of the season in Division One of the Morrant Thames Valley League with a six wicket success.
Basingstoke had targeted Ali Naqvi and they soon reaped their reward when Martyn James trapped the overseas star for only two after rapping his pads. Paul Jenkins soon followed, and when Josh O'Flynn (21), Danny Williams (10), Scott Gibson, Jack Andrews and John Williams all followed suit, Thatcham's decision to bat first looked to be a disaster as they crumbled to 60-7.
Josh Winfield made a quick 10, but it was tail-enders Jack Young (21), Chris Bird (27 not out) and Jason Williams (26) who attempted to give Thatcham something to defend by taking the all-out total to 144 in the 36th over as seamer Martyn James took 6-70.
Naqvi provided an early breakthrough when he clean bowled opener Chris Wood with the board on six, but Chris Wood's stay for 59 took Thatcham halfway home before he also fell to Naqvi, who later removed Craig Williamson to finish with 3-59.
But the hosts were all but home by then, as Dillon Heyliger steered them through with his unbeaten 45 wrapping it up at the start of the 28th over with four wickets down. p Newbury also sustained their second defeat in three outings when losing by eight wickets at Royal Ascot in Division Three A of the Thames Valley League.
Skipper Charlie Anstey was dropped in the first over, but his 59 became the main contribution to a NEWBURY total of 196-8 in the maximum 52 overs. But Ascot raced home to 197-2 inside 25 overs with Australian Marc Inman making an unbeaten 113 that included 14 fours and six sixes.
FALKLAND II remain unbeaten in Division Two B after their second draw of the campaign, against Maidenhead and Bray. Yusef Quershi's 61 led Maidenhead to 287-7 in 52 overs with Falkland reaching 247-8 in reply with Phil Piper's 84 the top score.
EAST WOODHAY'S lean streak in the Hampshire League's third division continued with a 22 run defeat at United Services II in Portsmouth. The Services posted 221-3 in their 45 overs with Graham Hounsome's unbeaten 100 leading the way. Tristan Stockwell made 90 in reply, but Woodhay fell short at 199-7.
