BURNHAM gave their chances of survival in Division Two of the Home Counties Premier League a boost with a 181-run win at bottom side Dinton on Saturday, writes Rob Stevens.

The

Bucks-based side

had not won in four weeks, one draw and two defeats plus an abandoned fixture, but this most recent success sees them climb to seventh position in the league table and more importantly 28 points clear of the relegation spots.

Dinton won the coin toss and elected to field first at Oxford Road, with the visitors reaching 313-2 declared in 50 overs.

Captain and opening batsman Rizwan Nadeem was the leading runs scorer with 94 from 119 balls, with 13 boundaries. It is his first half-century of the summer and takes his average to 27.17.

Fahad Raja made 70 from 91 balls, with 10 boundaries, for his highest scorer of the season and a second half-century with a new average of 22.33. The pair put on 168 runs for the first wicket.

Number three Shaan Khan then carried his bat through for an unbeaten 61 from just 50 balls, with eight boundaries and one maximum hit. It is his first half-century of the campaign and takes his average to 36.00.

Raza Ali Dar, batting at number four, also finished unbeaten at the crease with 60 from just 46 balls, including three boundaries and one maximum. He has now managed five half-centuries in an impressive season with a new average of 51.10.

The sole Dinton bowler to take a wicket in the innings was Akeel Khan, who managed figures of 1-72 from 11 overs.

The home side managed 132 runs all out in 34.1 overs in response to remain without a league win this season, leaving them 99 points from safety.

Number six Jawad Ali top-scored with 34 runs from 31 balls, including six boundaries.

Farhaan Khan was the chief destroyer for Burnham with his figures of 5-26 from 8.1 overs. It is the third time this season he has taken five wickets or more in a match, with a new average of 15.20.

Khan was ably supported by Muhammad Haroon who took 3-52 from 11 overs.

Burnham return to the Memorial Ground for the visit of title-chasing Harefield this Saturday (11.30am start).

Cookham Dean are now seven matches without a league win following their five-wicket defeat at table-toppers Oxford last weekend.

The Dean

have not won since the victory against Harefield back in June and are now 15 points from safety with five matches still to play this season.

Cookham won the toss and chose to bat first at the Oxford University Press Sports Ground, the visitors making 187 runs all out in 57.2 overs.

Number six Yasir Qureshi was the leading runs scorer with 60 from 91 balls, with four boundaries and two maximum hits. It is his highest career total and the second half-century of the summer.

Shamilal Mendis was the destroyer-in-chief for Oxford with his figures of 5-29 from 11.2 overs. It is the second time he has taken five wickets in a match this term and his best figures of the season.

The home side reached 188-5 from 47.5 overs in response for a win that keeps them 11 points clear at the top of the league table.

Opening batsman Oliver Price carried his bat through for an unbeaten 91 runs in 161 balls, with 11 boundaries. It is his second half-century of the season and takes his average to 33.20.

Harvey Eltham made 20 from 37 balls and the pair put on 56 runs for the first wicket, before Price and Mendis added 73 in a fifth-wicket stand.

The pick of the Cookham bowlers was Sahan Nanayakkara with his figures of 4-56 from 15.5 overs.

Cookham Dean return to Ricketts Field for a must-win match against Dinton this Saturday (11.30am).