1st XI v Mortimer & West End 1st Team

Mortimer mauled as Richards runs riot

TWO of the form teams in the Premier Division of the Berkshire League meet head on this Saturday as leaders Sonning travel to third-placed Yateley.

And it promises to be an entertaining shootout as both teams go into the clash on the back of big wins.

Sonning sank basement boys Mortimer West End by 136 runs last Saturday after Mark Richards went on the rampage at Pound Lane.

And Yateley skipper Simon Massey scored a century as his side virtually ended Cavaliers hopes of retaining the title in a nine-wicket mauling.

But it was Richards who was the day's top scorer as he hit a superb 156 in Sonning's 255-3.

And this was too much for Mortimer West End to cope with as the top flight newcomers were bowled out for 119.

And Mortimer skipper Steve Honour admitted: "The difference in class was obvious from the very first ball. "Mark Richards hammered everything right from the off, he milked it and we had no answer."

And Sonning skipper Gary Phillips said: "That's the best we've played this year and unfortunately for them they caught us on a very good day."

Richards rattled up 156, including five sixes and 22 fours, with his final 50 taking just three overs.

Meanwhile, Latif Gohar also weighed in with a classy 59, which included eight fours and two sixes, as Sonning declared after just 29 overs.

And with an aggressive field Sonning ripped the heart out of depleted Mortimer - Anwar Ul Haq finishing with 4-29.

In a solid allround bowling dis-play, Ghulam Abbas (2-37), Phil Swann (2-23) and Richard Anderson (2-22) also emerged with impressive figures.

The only two batsmen to make any real contributions for Mortimer were opener Jason Sear-ancke (22) and wicketkeeper Titch Vickers who came in at number nine to hit a defiant 27 not out.

But skipper Honour, who misses this week's trip to Cavaliers after picking up a groin strain, said: "Availability is killing us at the moment and we're simply not competing."