COOKHAM Dean returned to winning form in Division One this season after an eight-wicket victory against Slough 2s on Saturday.

The table toppers suffered a rare defeat at rivals Stoke Green a week earlier but sprung back to form to maintain their 23-point lead over Cove in second place.

Slough won the coin toss and elected to bat first at Ricketts Field, the visitors making 125 runs all out off 43 overs.

Number six Yaqoot Rafiq top-scored with 29 runs while Syed Waqar Ali Shah made 25 and opener Ali Ahmed 23.

Cookham overseas star Sahan Nanayakkare was the best of the three bowlers used with figures of 6-68 from 22 overs.

The six wickets taken mean Nanayakkare has now claimed 50 wickets this season at an impressive average of 11.88.

Yasir Qureshi claimed Ali Shah and Ahmed in his 4-30 from 12 overs, while Wasim Ahmed finished with 0-27.

The home team reached 129-2 off 32.3 overs in response and for their ninth win from 13 league matches this summer.

Captain and opening batsman Ben Millar carried his bat through for an unbeaten 68 runs, his first half-century this season.

Chris Marrow finished unbeaten on 30 and the pair put on 70 runs in an unbroken third-wicket partnership.

Ali Shah and Humza Majid were the pick of the six Slough bowlers used, both returning figures of 1-32.

Cookham Dean make the short trip to North Maidenhead this Saturday while Slough 2s, now down in eighth position in the table, host Boyne Hill at Upton Court Road (1pm).

Stoke Green are now six matches unbeaten following a draw at rivals Boyne Hill, who remain in fifth position in the league table.

Stoke won the toss and chose to bat first, the home side making 208 runs all out off 48.2 overs.

Number six Gagan Singh top-scored with 43 runs while Zulfi Butt made 39 and opener Dan Simpson 36.

Hamid Riaz was the best of the Boyne Hill bowlers with figures of 4-41 from 12 overs, including the wicket of Butt.

Alex Bartlett claimed Singh and Simpson in his 3-56, while other wickets fell to Mudassar Hussain (2-27) and Ziya Mohamed (1-40).

The home team reached 193-7 off 51 overs in response and for a fourth draw in 13 league matches this season.

Number seven Mohamed top-scored with 43 runs while Tom Mellor finished unbeaten on 29 and Shalika Karuanayake made 28.

Butt was the pick of the Stoke bowlers with figures of 5-70 from 23 overs. His five-wicket-haul included Mohamed and Karuanayake.

The other wickets fell to Irham Mughal (1-29) and Singh (1-39).

The draw means Stoke Green remain in third position in the league table ahead of a visit from bottom side Reading this Saturday (1pm).

North Maidenhead have dropped one place to seventh position after their 50-run defeat away at Falkland last weekend.

Jim Ettridge carried his bat through for an unbeaten 106 as Falkland reached 264-3 declared off 51 overs.

Sahan John made 45 in response but his side were bowled out for 214 runs off 47.5 overs.

Grab a copy of the Observer this Friday for all the latest sports news and action.