STOKE Green Cricket Club skipper Sukh Dhillon admits that luck was on their side in a 72-run win against Windsor on Saturday.

Dhillon is pleased that his team were able to secure a much-needed win but, had Windsor taken their chances in the field, the result could have been different.

“It was a win that I really wanted the boys to aim for, especially against our local rivals,” the Stoke skipper told the Observer.

“It was a great win and one we needed because we have had an indifferent start to the season.

“It’s difficult to say if it was the right result because the right passages of play went our way, but we could have been steamrolled for less than 100.

“The luck went our way, Windsor dropped a couple of catches and we held on to our chances, but we deserved the win because it was a really good bowling performance.”

Karanpreet Singh finished unbeaten on 66 and Conrad Lough made 45 as Stoke were bowled out for 189 from 47.2 overs.

Benjamin Durrant (3-26) and skipper Justin Granger (3-31) were the pick of the Windsor bowlers.

“We were two wickets down for seven runs and could have been steamrolled, so 189 was a good total to get,” said Dhillon.

“Karanpreet batted well, though he was a little lucky at times, and people batted around him.

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Sajid Aziz took 3-32 as Stoke Green beat Windsor by 72 runs on Saturday.

“I was a little disappointed not to get 200, but it was still a good and challenging total with the bowling attack that we have.

“We saw the ball turn in the first innings so knew 189 was a good total.

“I was confident in the team but knew we had to bowl in the right areas, which we did, because Windsor could have chased down the score quite easily.”

In reply, Windsor made just 117 from 34.1 overs with James Lincoln (47*), Harry Jordan (26) and Kristan Baumgartner (11) the only batsman to reach double figures.

Sajid Aziz led the Stoke bowling attack with figures of 3-32. He was supported by Fahad Masood (2-10) and Zulfiqar Butt (2-28).

Dhillon said: “There was a time when Windsor had a low-order partnership that I was a little worried about, but we broke that and the result was secured pretty quickly.

“I just had to bring the better bowlers back on, which is the strange thing about this format of the game.”

Stoke Green make the trip to Wokingham this Saturday while Windsor host Cove at Home Park (both 1pm starts).

Elsewhere in Division One of the Thames Valley League, Boyne Hill suffered a 50-run defeat away at Kew.

Jack Gaff (3-28), skipper Tom Mellor (2-13) and Mark Firth (2-22) all bowled well as Boyne Hill skittled Kew for 150 from 40 overs.

However, the visitors could only make 100 in reply and were all out in the 33rd over. Mellor top-scored with 33.

Boyne Hill are away at Yateley on Saturday (1pm).