The 2024 Home Counties Premier League, Division 2 news round-up for Saturday 18th May.
Feature Image: Michael Payne (left) and Julian Laird (right).
Bicester & North Oxford, Harefield and Slough all top the table after recording back-to-back wins to their 2024 league campaign.
Bicester & North Oxford chase down Thame target for seven-wicket victory
Opener Zain Stoop hit an unbeaten 126 at the top of the order as Bicester & North Oxford chased down Thame Town’s total of 262 for 8 from 50 overs. Jacob Townsend (39) and skipper Ryan Moore (35 not out) also contributed as the home side reached their target just three wickets down with 5.1 overs to spare.
At the start of the day, Thame Town had Dinushka Malan (68), Alex Browne (54), Hassam Mushtaq (45) and Alex Tervet (39) in form as they set a competitive total.
Harefield ease to a ten-wicket success over Oxford.
Kiwi Sean Solia performed with bat and ball as Harefield defeated Oxford by ten wickets. Solia returned with four for 23 from eight overs and fellow seamer Jordan McLeod, three for 12 from a tidy 7.4 over stint, saw the visitors struggle, with the exception of the highly talented left handed young opener Julian Laird. The former Cumnor player made 33 of the 76 scored.
Solia then hammered a quickfire 54 from 36 balls, including 2 sixes.
Slough defeated league newcomers Stoke Green to record maximum points from their start to 2024.
Karanpret Singh (82), Rizwan Nadeem (47) , Najib Khan (34 not out) and Nabeel Janed (31) all batted well to take their side to 228 for 8 in 50 overs. Yaqoot Rafiq the pick of the visiting bowlers, who returned with figures of three for 32 from 9 overs.
Slough’s overseas SK Venkatesh hit 88 from just 68 balls, including 9 sixes and 6 fours with Shafqat Ullah’s 63, which included 5 sixes, helping the visitors reach their target.
Amersham are fourth after they held their nerve to beat Buckingham Town by six wickets at Shardeloes
Michael Payne displayed all his experience as his fifth wicket stand of 70 with Mo Choudhry helped take Amersham from 44 for 4 to victory. The former Bucks skipper finished undefeated on 61 not out in a polished display. Jono Tuffin returned with three for 26 from ten overs for Town.
Amersham captain Choudhry had performed earlier, taking three for 27 from his ten-over stint, while his Town counterpart, Adam King, top scored with 34 for the visitors.
Gerrards X won their first game of the league season as they chased down Chesham’s total to win by eight wickets.
Chris Marrow led the way with an unbeaten knock of 68, which included 4 sixes and 6 fours, while overseas Henry Walsh made 35 not out as they won in 23.3 overs (147 for 2).
Daniel Ward stroked 52 as Chesham were bowled out for 142 in 34.4 overs with the home side’s captain Patrick Smith taking four for 39 from his ten overs.
Latest table after two games
Latest table: matchday two 2024 Division 2
Fixtures for Saturday 25th May 2024
Bicester N O v Gerrards Cross
Buckingham v Slough
Chesham v Harefield
Oxford v Amersham
Stoke Green v Thame Town
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