Defeat, drama, then delight as Cookham Dean take TVL 2A title on final day

Photo credit: Cookham Dean CC

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Cookham Dean were crowned TVL Division 2A champions on Saturday evening, however, they had an anxious wait to discover the title was theirs, after losing by 44 runs at home to Sonning at Ricketts Field.

Dean came into the final day’s clash with Sonning just a point behind leaders Wokingham in the race for the title - and promotion back to Division 1, however, they managed to squeeze back above them after both sides were beaten at the weekend.

Dean managed to collect nine points from their home defeat to Sonning, while Wokingham - who would likely have lifted the title with victory - suffered a nine-wicket loss at Finchampstead and picked up only five points.

Those results ensured Dean took the title by the barest of margins and it was a day of celebration across the club as well with the Cookham Dean 2nds and 4ths also being promoted.

The first team needed a solid effort from the tailenders to claim the nine points which secured them the title.

Having elected to bat on winning the toss, visitors Sonning put on 197 from 47 overs before being dismissed in the 47th over. They scored well at the top of the order with Muhammad Ayub making 72 and Mohammed Zahid scoring 50. Bayly Stawiarz took 4-35 and Finn Reid 3-35 to give the home side real hope at the changeover.

Greg Davis would have been confident in his side chasing down a sub 200 score on their own patch, however, they were rocked by some early wickets with Tejas Akavarapu (9) and Zain Khan (6) quickly back in the clubhouse.

Stawiarz has been a key played for Dean this season, but he departed for just one run while Mohammed Ilyas lost his wicket for a duck to leave Dean all at sea and facing up to a very heavy defeat. However, Davis (26), Jake Lawson (22no) and James Le Flemming (20) dug out some much-needed runs late on to get the hosts past the 150-mark to collect nine points from the match.

They were eventually bowled out for 153 in 44 overs and attention would have quickly turned to Wokingham’s clash at Finchampstead.

With the title and promotion in the balance, they’d have been relieved to see Finchampstead chasing down Wokingham’s total of 208-8 from 50 overs.

Stuart Parsons finished unbeaten on 80 and Joe Sheldon opened with 79 as Finchampstead did Dean a huge favour in sealing a nine-wicket win. They collected 22 points to cement third place while Wokingham’s five-point haul wasn’t enough to prevent Dean from sneaking above them to take the title.

Joining them in Division 1 next season will be Maidenhead & Bray who picked up the handful of points they needed for the Division 2B title with a four wicket win at High Wycombe.

Alkesh Vaja’s side had all but sealed the title and promotion ahead of their final match, but they needed to fulfil the fixture and get the five points needed to guarantee them the title.

The division’s in-form team did rather better than that though, claiming a four wicket win and 22 points from their final match to finish 18 points clear of closest rivals Stoke Green 2nds - who beat Amersham 2nds by 48 runs.

Having elected to bat, Wycombe managed 191 before being dismissed in 42.3 overs, a score Bray chased down to the loss of six wickets in only 23.3 overs.

With John Child (4-35) and Faizal Aziz (4-43) both taking four wicket hauls for the visitors, Bray then confidently swatted their way to their target and the title.

They lost a few wickets on the way, but they scored quickly enough for it not to matter. Kieran Grey held the innings together with 63 from 42 balls while Wayne Whitson chipped in with 37 from 29.