COOKHAM Dean CC kept their Thames Valley League Division One title hopes alive with a three-wicket win at struggling Eversley.

And it was the Dean’s overseas star Godwill Mamhiyo – who played for Eversley last season – who put in a match-winning display with the ball to keep his current side on course for back-to-back championships.

Eversley won the toss and chose to bat, making a solid start as Phil Wise and Ibne Sayed (32) put on 74 for the opening wicket.

The introduction of Shakil Ahmed (4-67) led to an initial flurry of runs as Syed took 14 runs from his opening over, only for the former Pakistan test player to gain his revenge when he bowled the opener.

Mamhiyo then came into the attack and the Zimbabwean and Ahmed were able to exert considerable control, stemming the flow of runs from the Eversley batsmen.

Wickets fell steadily, with only Wise (71) managing to provide any contribution of any substance, and the Boars were well and truly on the ropes at 136-9.

However, a cautious last-wicket partnership marshalled by Aftab Habib (29no) allowed them to get up to a competitive total of 170, Mamhiyo taking 6-61 and Ahmed claiming 4-67.

With the Cross Green wicket offering some seam movement, two early wickets apiece from Jack Sever (2-41) and Joe Howarth (2-24) left Cookham Dean 51-4 and Eversley strong favourites.

However, useful contributions from Kurran Mangat (32), 17-year-old Saagar Kanwar (40) and captain Ben Millar – the latter two sharing a crucial 54-run partnership for the seventh wicket – put the visitors back in the contest.

There was still work to be done for the Dean when Kanwar departed with 14 still required, but a couple of edges through the slips for four from Ahmed steadied Cookham’s nerves, before Millar hit the winning runs to finish on an unbeaten 20.

Cookham Dean sit fourth in the table but are only 11 points behind new leaders Kew, and have a home game against relegation-threatened Stoke Green tomorrow (12.30pm).

In Division 4b, Cookham Dean 2nds edged a thrilling contest at home to Stoke Green 2nds by six runs.

Parminder Mangat (91) and Jake Richardson (88) led the way as the Dean racked up an impressive 275-7, despite Irham Mughal’s (4-86) best efforts.

In reply, Sim Mangat’s 6-73 helped seal victory for the hosts with just four balls remaining.

Relegation-threatened Cookham Dean 3rds suffered a disappointing nine-wicket defeat in a one-sided contest at Division 7b title-chasers Datchet 3rds.

Sohil Mangat made 51 and Rob Applegarth added 42, but they received little support as the Dean were bowled out for 162.

And that target never looked like being anywhere near enough after Datchet got going, the hosts racing to victory in just the 26th over of the run chase.