DATCHET maintained their Home Counties Premier League Division Two promotion hopes with a 117-run procession which all but relegated visitors Shipton under Wychwood.

Home skipper James Morris chose to bat after winning the toss and was rewarded with a huge opening stand of 142 between Vishal Aeri and the more dominant Chris Peploe.

Anthony Prior-Wandesforde made the breakthrough when he had Peploe caught by Charlie Miller for an excellent 94 from 84 balls.

Aeri (40) fell 17 runs later, and when Shaun Miller had Morris caught and bowled, Datchet were 174-3.

Miller then dismissed Joe Thomas (40) the same way, before Max Stevenson and Ollie Birst were both removed by Anupam Sanklecha.

A useful cameo from Tim Alldis (37no from 26 balls) gave Datchet momentum as they closed on 272-9 in their 50 overs, Sanklecha (3-27) the pick of their attack.

The Shipton reply began reasonably enough as Lewis Marstin and Ben Norgrove put on 32 for the first wicket, but when they were both dismissed along with Charlie Miller, the visitors were reeling on 43-3.

Peploe (4-40) accounted for Sanklecha and Shaun Cross to turn the screw and leave Shipton 70-5, and when Bates was caught behind by Thomas off Jarryd Wallace, the game was effectively up for the Oxfordshire side.

Ian Harris provided some resistance to help his side reach 155, but Stevenson (3-25) was eventually finished the job.

Third-placed Datchet remain four points behind Wokingham ahead of a trip to Burnham tomorrow (11am).

Burnham CC

Burnham are not completely safe from relegation after they lost by three wickets at Amersham.

The visitors made a poor start as Omer Siddique was bowled for a duck, but Fahad Raja and Rizwan Nadeem took the score to 65 until the former was dismissed by Haseeb Ali.

Burnham’s middle order chipped in without really producing enough runs and when Nadeem (43) fell, they were 124-6.

Adnan Malik did his best to build with the tail, but ultimately the away side were dismissed for 168.

Burnham made a brilliant start with the ball as they reduced the hosts to 32-4, but a fine knock from Max Maciver (53) put Amersham on the front foot.

Mudassar Nawaz (3-22) accounted for him and with Antum Naqvi grabbing 2-35, Burnham stayed in the hunt, only for the hosts to cross the line in the 41st over.