READING Blue Coat cruised to an emphatic 93-run win at home to King Edward VI, Southampton on Saturday, writes Richard Ashton.

Tom Halson (42) and Sam Gemmill (31) led the way for the home side as they were bowled out for 179.

But King Edward VI were unable to get to grips with opening bowlers Hamish Scott (3-16) and James Rogers (3-21), taking 48 balls to score a run off the bat and collapsing to a horrific 4-5 in the ninth over.

The visitors did show some fight to haul themselves to 45 before they lost their next wicket, but with Ben Cole claiming 2-16, they were eventually dismissed for a mere 86.

The Oratory School returned to winning ways with a comfortable 25-run success at rivals Pangbourne College.

Captain Will Legg made a measured 54 from 55 balls but it was Tom Crosidale who really added momentum to the visitors’ innings, smashing 57 from just 35 balls to push his team to 161-3 in their 20 overs.

Pangbourne skipper Jake Easton kept his side’s hopes alive with an excellent 65 from just 47 balls, but after he fell to Josh Bisdee, the hosts were 98-4 and their chances were all but over.

Left arm spinner Chris Humphreys (2-15) was again in fine form for The Oratory, while Legg returned figures of 1-23 as Pangbourne closed on 136-8.

Bradfield College’s encouraging early season suffered a setback as they lost by 38 runs at home to Stowe.

The home side made an excellent start as they reduced Stowe to 33-3 with Ollie Waddington snaring 2-17.

Charlie Gwynn (3-21) and Seb Waddington (2-32) maintained the pressure as the visitors stumbled to 122-8, but some stout lower-order resistance gave them hope in adding 80 for the final two wickets to reach 202 all out.

Bradfield lost both of their openers – Rahul Patel and Paris Khanna – with the score on 26, and things got worse for the home side as the middle order failed to fire in falling to 73-6.

Captain Harry Came (56 from 83 balls) was the only batsman to look in control, although Seb Waddington (21) did help him add 64 for the seventh wicket.

However, after he departed to make it 127-7, and Came fell nine runs later, the writing was well and truly on the wall.

Bradfield were unable to produce a miraculous comeback, eventually being dismissed for 164 with one ball left in the 47th over.