Burnham hold nerve to crush Reading as Ickenham keep up the pressure

Credit: Burnham CC

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Burnham crushed Reading by 87 runs away from home on Saturday to stretch their lead at the top of Thames Valley Division 1 to 12 points and put the title - and promotion back to Home Counties cricket - within tantalising reach.

However, captain Adnan Shabbir will know his side still has plenty of work to do to finish off the job with tough games to finish at home to fifth placed Boyne Hill on Saturday before the season closes with a trip to fourth placed Amersham on September 6.

Burnham have been front runners from the opening weeks of the season, however, with rivals circling and finding form at different stages of the season, they’ve never quite been able to pull away from the chasing pack.

On Saturday, they won a must-win fixture in convincing fashion, hammering hosts Reading by 87 runs.

Having elected to bat, the visitors managed 194-9 from their 50 overs, a slightly under par score perhaps, but one their hosts were incapable of chasing.

Ajaz smashed 60 to stoke an otherwise disappointing batting display. Singh chipped in with a useful 24 and Malik managed a hugely important 31 much further down the order as the visitors got close to the 200-run mark but not beyond it.

In response, Reading were given a revised target of 195 from 50 overs and they fell well short, despite a decent partnership between Khalid (23) and Waghela (43). Only one other batsmen - Alocius (12) - was able to get into double figures as Osman Ilyas took 5-19 to hamper their reply.

The result sees them lead by 12 points from Ickenham now in second place.

Ickenham now look the likeliest challengers to Burnham’s crown after they defeated Tring Park by eight wickets at home on Saturday.

Having been put into bat, Park were bowled out for 194 in 49.5 overs, however - unlike Burnham - they weren’t able to defend it as Ickenham chased down their target for the loss of just two wickets in 38.3 overs.

Ickenham’s bowlers Ethan Slee took 4-39 and Mac Jenkins 3-19 to keep the visitors to a chaseable score while with the bat, Jenkins hit a magnificent 85 in a fine all-round display.

Ickenham finish the season with more winnable games on paper at home to already relegated Marlow on Saturday and away to seventh placed Eversley.

Marlow look set to finish the season more than 100 points from safety; however, they did manage a morale-boosting 54-run victory at home to Uxbridge on Saturday

Batting first on winning the toss they made 263 before being dismissed in 48.4 overs.

Hamza Arif scored 84 with the bat and Mo Arabi added 73 while with the ball Arif also took 5-29 in a man of the match display. Chris Goede also took the crucial wicket of Sabbir Rahman Roman who had swash buckled his way to 136 from 77 balls - scoring 11 fours and 13 sixes! Despite his efforts Uxbridge finished on 209 all out in 27.4 overs.