In the evening sun, Reading 2s slumped to 180 all out in pursuit of 254.

Amid morning drizzle, traffic won the toss, and elected to close the M4. A damp pitch, a thick vest of clouds, and three players yet to arrive made it an easy bowl-first for Tom Phizackerley.

Unlike the day’s motorists, Theale and TIlehurst had no problem finding top gear. They reached drinks at a-run-a-ball thanks to some generous bowling. But the dismissals of Rehan Akram 35 (49) and Rehan Hassan 44 (36), applied relative shackles to the innings. Theale began to lose wickets at regular intervals, before a death overs spurt saw them reach 254-8. Jordan ‘Bucket Hands’ Baker snaffled three catches, whilst Hussain Naeem (8-53-3) led the team off after a journeyman’s spell with the dukes.

Reading began carefully but assuredly, the new ball blunted by the left-handed duo of Waqas Ahmed 19 (37) and Baker 18 (45). Identically solid; they were identically dismissed, cutting S. Iman (5-23-2) to backward point. However, at 75-2, Reading were well placed. Man-in-form Raphae Farooq 54 (58) and man-somewhat-injured Phil Brennan 46 (38) awoke the crowd with some calculated striking. Farooq batted with the poise of prime KP, lashing out with lofted drives for four and six, in between a redoubtable defence. Brennan played with similar aggression, and the pair accelerated the score to 137-2 with plenty of overs left. A rattled Theale prayed for a gift and were duly rewarded as Brennan, aiming to launch Robert Dimmack (9-31-5) for 12, sent it straight down long-on’s throat. The run rate climbed, and Farooq perished in similar fashion. So began the slide towards defeat. A loss by 74 runs belied the fighting spirit of Reading’s chase. But in the end, they should have been chasing far fewer.

Motorways reopen, brake lights lift – Ishan Deshpande eventually arrives (ten overs in) – and Reading’s winning ways will soon return. But for now, a stuttering start to the season continues.