Sri Lankan Saranga spurs Falkland to success

Thatcham taste league defeat for the first time

SRI LANKAN Saranga Rajaguru gave Falkland an instant lift as he helped them to their first win of the season in Division One of the Morrant Thames Valley League when beating visiting Yateley by 71 runs.

The newly arrived all-rounder top scored with 56 as Falkland posted 223-9 and the spinner chipped in with 2-36 as the visitors were dismissed for 152 with more than five overs to spare.

Rajaguru arrived at the crease with Falkland on 47-3, and after Jim Etteridge had gone for 22, he cemented the middle order before a late onslaught from Paul Jenkins (29) and skipper Craig Williams (31 not out) took the hosts to their 50 overs total.

Yateley’s Dan Vincent got his side moving with his 41 after Hamza Riazuddin and Mark Baker had pocketed early wickets, but he fell to Rajaguru LBW and thereafter only Jacques Pienaar made any progress with 20 as Falkland wrapped up their first win with Daminda Kologula taking 4-23.

THATCHAM suffered their first defeat of the campaign in Division Two B when going down by 65 runs to visiting Henley II.

Thatcham started well enough with the ball with Callum Johnson wrecking the upper order before Euan Brock (60) and Will Legg (40) stuck together and the tail added enough to take Henley to 216 all out in the 52 overs, Johnson claiming 3-24, Chris Bird 3-56 and John Williams 4-64.

But Thatcham could not hit the comparatively modest target as wickets plummeted to Brock and Simon Wheeler and it was only Williams’ defiant 61 and some tail-wagging that enabled the home side to post a total of 151 with Wheeler taking 6-42 and Brock 3-35.

NEWBURY went down by 101 runs at Cove II in Division Three A, despite Stuart Goddard’s 6-48 haul off 19 overs that held the home side to 206-9 in the 52 overs.

But only Neil Farrow resisted with 29 as Newbury were shot out inside 31 overs for only 105.