Morrant Thames Valley League

Division Two A

Old Merchant Taylors' fell to a 60-run defeat against previously winless Maidenhead & Bray on Saturday.

After winning the toss, OMTs elected to bowl first on a green looking pitch. But despite some overhead cloud from the beginning, the pitch played true with very little swing for the bowlers.

Maidenhead raced along with Alex Hess (53) and captain Brett Van Niekerk (67) doing most of the damage.

And just when OMTs felt they had hauled themselves back into the game, with Armaan Mahmood (four for 46) in particular pinning down the batsmen, there was still time for Alkesh Vaja (60 not out) to hit valuable late runs, leaving the home side to post a not insurmountable 262 for nine off the allotted overs.

OMTs duly opened their response in positive fashion, going off at well above the required run rate. But as has often been the case this season, lots of positive starts were not converted by the top-order batsmen.

Captain Paul Marshall (31) led by example, supported by debutant Paul Waldon (36) and George Davies (41), but they fell 60 runs short as they were dismissed for 202.

Division Six A

Old Merchant Taylors’ Seconds eased to a seven-wicket win over bottom side Henley Fourths at the War Memorial Ground.

By virtue of something of a novelty and finally winning the toss, OMTs elected to bowl first on a flat looking pitch. That decision looked to have been a good one as early breakthroughs were made to leave Henley stuttering on 60 for four.

Dhiraj Shah (five for 57) was the star performer with the ball. But just as OMTs felt they were pressing home the advantage there was resistance from Liam Dennison (128 not out), who batted brilliantly to almost single-handedly amass Henley’s total.

At the end of the allotted overs Henley finished on 214 for six, a total which seemed daunting given recent OMT batting performances.

Debutant Edwards Jones (50) played beautifully to open the home side’s response, but when he was removed leaving OMTs on 75 for three, the chase seemed unlikely.

But in John Walter (88 not out) they found a man inspired, smashing eight boundaries and one maximum in a brutal assault on the Henley bowling.

Ably supported by a clearly injured Andrew Wingfield (45 not out), OMTs cruised home.