Leaders Peel and St John’s made short work of Finch Hill on Saturday, who remain rooted at the bottom of cricket’s Weekend Premier league. 

The Finches won the toss and chose to bat first but lost their first five wickets with only three runs on the board.  They were eventually all out for 28.

Kieran Cawte picked up five wickets and Ollie Webster mopped up the tail with four wickets. The westerners duly hit the 28 runs they needed without losing a wicket. 

In the league’s other match, Cronkbourne enjoyed a comprehensive win by 265 runs against Valkyres. 

The Tromode side’s in-form opening batter Harishankar Radhakrishnan hit an unbeaten century, after an opening partnership of 119 with Blake Sergeant, which ultimately decided the match. Cronkbourne eventually reached 288 for seven from their 40 overs. 

The game was effectively decided by the seventh over with five Valkyres batters out with the score only on seven and Valkyres were eventually all out for 23. 

Corbin Liebenberg was the pick of the Cronkbourne bowlers in a devastating six-over symmetrical spell of bowling that saw him pick up six wickets for only six runs. 

In Division One early league leaders Castletown again faltered, losing by 112 runs to Crosby’s second team.

Castletown won the toss and chose to field first as Crosby survived the early loss of Ed Walker. Jack Rowlands hit a half century, ably supported by first Jacob Butler and Joe Humphrey as Crosby eventually scored 207 in their thirty-five overs. 

In Castletown’s reply, only Jarred Shepherd provided much resistance with 34 and Ian Larson wrapped up the Castletown tail with four wickets in ten balls as Crosby won by 112 runs.

In the second division, the top two met at King William’s College. 

Valkyres closed the gap on league leaders Castletown with a four-wicket win, as James Wilson’s unbeaten 31 saw them reach the target in the 15th over.

Zach Heunis had earlier hit a well-paced 44 as Castletown set a target of 115. 

In the division’s other match, Finch Hill claimed the points after Cronkbourne’s third team conceded the match. 

SIMON CRELLIN