MAIDENHEAD & Bray remain in the relegation positions in Thames valley Division 2A despite a 97-run home win over bottom side Harefield 2s on Saturday.

The home team lost the toss and were put into bat, taking full advantage to reach 267-5 declared after 50 overs.

Brett Van Niekerk top-scored with his 93, and innings that included 12 boundaries and three maximums, while number six Faizal Aziz finished unbeaten on 69. The pair enjoyed a fifth-wicket partnership of 159 runs.

Robin Ramgi led the Harefield bowling attack with figures of 2-64 and was backed up by Will Shepherd (2-66) and Nakul Hirani (1-31).

In response, the visiting side were bowled out for 170 in 42.5 overs despite a half-century (56) from opening batsman Thomas Day. Shepherd made 34 but only Aidan Surendrakumar (11) and Henry Hale (10) could also reach double figures.

Captain Louis Blackwell was the pick of the Maidenhead & Bray bowlers with his 4-36. Sachin Moudgil (2-8) and Ashley Becker (2-36) took two wickets apiece while other batsman fell to Aziz (1-16) and Henry Grover (1-18).

Maidenhead & Bray, still second from bottom, can leapfrog Chesham 2s with a win at the Bray Ground this Saturday.

Farnham Royal continue to set the pace in Division 4B despite a losing draw with Theale & Tilehurst at Church Road on Saturday.

The Royals invited their visitors to bat first with Theale & Tilehurst making 242-7 from their allotted 50 overs. Ash Misra (98) fell narrowly short of a century, while James White made 41 and Andy Sharp 33 in the middle order.

Teen sensation Eshwar Dutta was the pick of the Farnham bowlers with his 3-65, whilst other wickets fell to Ben Pulsford (2-79), Jack Barton (1-20) and Charlie Jackson (1-52).

The home response got off to a good start with captain Nigel Field (60) and fellow opener Dutta (43) putting on 82 runs for the first wicket.

However, wickets began to fall and Farnham eventually closed on 188-8 after 50 overs for a share of the spoils. Tim Gilham added 27 and Matt Shave 21.

Michael Holder was the destroyer-in-chief for Theale & Tilehurst with his five-wicket haul (5-18 in five overs). The other wickets fell to Andy Sharp (2-21) and Simon Bond (1-34).

Following their first defeat of the season last week, Farnham Royal have had their lead at the top of the table cut to six points ahead of a visit to Church Road from British Airways this Saturday.

Farnham Common remain in the promotion positions in Division 6A following their two-wicket home win against Datchet 3s on Saturday.

Datchet lost the toss and were put into bat, reaching 224-8 after 52 overs with opener Abdullah Siddique (76) the leading run scorer. Captain Peter Brant made 41 at number four and Sandeep Bassi finished unbeaten with 39.

Mustafa Akhtar was the pick of the Farnham bowlers with his figures of 3-48, while further wickets were accrued by Hassan Malick (2-48), Ghoulam Mustafa (1-19) and Joe Creighton (1-63).

In response, the hosts closed on 225-8 after 46.2 overs for the win, thanks largely to an unbeaten half-century (65*) from Crawford Wilson and 46 by Mustafa. There were also runs for openers Malick (33) and Randeep Lochab (21).

Jawad Hassan led the Datchet bowling attack with his figures of 3-87.

Farnham Common are without a fixture this Saturday.

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