Reading 2s faced off against Thatcham Town CC 1st XI away, following a washout last week.
Winning the toss, Reading opted to bat first but faced an early setback with the dismissal of Jordan in the 3rd over. Despite this, Niraj and Arjun formed a solid partnership of 79, laying a strong foundation for Reading's innings, taking the total to 84-1 at drinks. Unfortunately, the break disrupted their momentum as Niraj was dismissed shortly after, and Arjun soon followed, after making his half-century.
Reading’s middle and lower order batsmen struggled against a disciplined Thatcham bowling attack, with wickets falling at regular intervals. However, Thisara's crucial 26 off 43 balls pushed Reading to a competitive score of 167-9 in their 52 overs.
In response, Thisara gave Reading an excellent start by taking out Thatcham's opener for a duck in the fourth over. Despite this promising beginning and consistent bowling from Reading, Thatcham's batsmen proved resilient, as they methodically built their innings, making it difficult for Reading to secure further breakthroughs. Thisara shone with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for 35 runs, but Thatcham steadily chased down the target, reaching it in 45.5 overs.
Despite a valiant effort, Reading 2s remain 9th in the standings, and are looking to bounce back next week.