WET weather ruined the fixture list for the second successive Saturday, writes Richard Ashton.

Defending champions West Reading missed out on the chance to close the gap at the top as their game at home to Crowthorne & Crown Wood was called off with the visitors 82-5 after 24 overs.

Muhammed Shakeel Arshad top scored with 38, while Adeel Razaq claimed 2-28 in eight overs.

Leaders Sulhamstead were in a strong position when their game at Peppard Stoke Row was abandoned.

The home side reached 102-9 in a game reduced to 40 overs per side, but the rain arrived at tea to end the contest. Shiva Aruna – who took three wickets in four balls during his spell of 5-25 – Craig Palmer (2-14) and Doug Macdonald (2-22) were the standout performers for Sully, while Fergus Nutt made 35 for PSR.

Berkshire County Sports remain third after their home game against Welford Park was halted by the adverse weather.

BCS reached 141-8 on the back of useful knocks from Saqib Hussain (51no from 49 balls), Sohail Abbas (42) and Usman Asif (40 from 32), with Stephen Yahia (3-35) and James Barrett (3-54) the pick of the Welford attack.

Ruislip Victoria appeared to be in a good position when their rain-reduced 25 overs per side game at home to Woodcote was washed out.

Paul Knox (39) and Jez Mayo (32) batted well in helping Cote to 133-6, with Sodhi Singh (3-40) and Shair Khan (3-42) impressing with the ball.

Knox (2-38) and Mark Pearson (3-38) made early inroads, but Sufian Sanik was unbeaten on 40 when the RV innings was ended with them on 99-5 after 12 overs.

Rock bottom Woodley were saved by the rain against Sandhurst, reduced to 83-7 as James Birch took 4-40 before rain intervened.

Division One leaders Goring on Thames dodged a bullet as rain came to their aid when seemingly poised for a heavy defeat to local rivals Checkendon.

The table-toppers were restricted to 113-9 in their 30 overs as Rama Adigantla claiming 5-29, and with Manpreet Singh blasting 38 not out from only 34 balls, Checks were well set on 68-0 after 9.1 overs when the game was abandoned.

Bob Bolton (3-25) and Jack Byrne (3-41) appeared to have set second-placed Bradfield up for victory against cellar dwellers West Reading 2nds before the game was called off.

Adnan Raja top scored with 36 as Wests were bowled out for 144, and Bradfield reached 61-2 before rain stopped play.

Akeesh Khokhar blasted 55 not out from only 51 balls before Farley Hill’s (72-3) game against Mortimer West End was abandoned.

The games between Ibis Mapledurham and Emmbrook & Bearwood, and Sulhamstead 2nds and Peppard Stoke Row 2nds were cancelled without a ball being bowled.

In Division Two, Hawley held on for a draw at Woodley 2nds in a game reduced to 27 overs per side.

Pavan Nargund smashed a wonderful 101 for the home side, who reached an impressive 227-5. Hawley lost early wickets, but an unbeaten 50 from James Adams and 39 from Alastair Mortiboys ensured Hawley ended on 111-5.

The game between leaders Shinfield and Crowthorne & Crown Wood 2nds was washed out without a ball being bowled.

Ankush Ghandi made 50 off 43 for second-placed Waltham St Lawrence as they ended on 91-2 off 17 overs at Stratfield Turgis.

Earley reached 126-5 as Gary Shacklady (65no) top scored before their game against Emmbrook & Bearwood 2nds was rained off.

George Laing hammered 73 off 62 balls to help Warfield make 132-6 before their game at Twyford & Ruscombe was abandoned.

Division Three table-toppers West Reading 3rds were denied by the weather after taking control of their game at home to Bradfield 2nds.

Inshaf Akram took 3-16 as the visitors were restricted to 129-8, but Wests’ reply was curtailed at 21-1 off only 2.4 overs.

The game between Ruislip Victoria 2nds (72-3) and Knowl Hill looked nicely poised before the rain intervened, while Under 14 debutant Sam Butler top scored with 42 not out as Peppard Stoke Row 3rds’ (148-8) clash with Sandhurst 2nds (28-2) also fell victim to the weather.

Purley on Thames 3rds conceded their game at Welford Park 2nds.

There was no play in Division Four, where the games between Falkland Development and Binfield 3rds, and Shinfield 2nds and Sulhamstead 3rds, were abandoned.

Waltham St Lawrence 2nds conceded their game against Crowthorne & Crown Wood 3rds, with Emmbrook & Bearwood 3rds doing the same at West Reading 4ths.

The Bye Week Challenge derby between Mortimer West End 2nds and Mortimer was another victim of the wet weather.