Cricket: WYCOMBE Warriors marched into the area semi-finals of the National Knockout Cup with a swash-buckling 136-run victory over Eastcote on Sunday.
The London Roaders, who are bidding to win the National for the first time in their history after two previous appearances in the semi-finals, made light work of their opponents to reach the last 64 for the third time in four years.
Warriors had already beaten their Middlesex-based hosts in a pre-season friendly just a few weeks earlier and they repeated the trick.
But, having won the toss, Wycombe did not make the best of starts to the match.
Jason Harrison was sent back to the pavilion for a duck while Mark Wright mustered 21 before he was trapped lbw.
With Wycombe rocking at 41-2 it looked like being an awkward afternoon for the visitors until Gregg Pooley (81) and Matt Eyles (50) steadied the ship with a partnership of 70 for the third wicket.
Skipper Paul Sawyer then came to the crease and played a captain's role with a well-built innings of 56 as Wycombe set their hosts a target of 242.
That left Eastcote needing to score at a rate of five an over and that was never an option against an in-form Wycombe attack.
Only two of Eastcote's top six batsmen managed double figures, with David Goodchild (23) and Chris Jones (14), the men responsible.
But all around them there was carnage as wickets fell at a steady rate all afternoon before Eastcote collapsed all out for 106.
Wycombe can expect a much tougher test in the next round though.
They have been drawn away for the third time running, this time to Ealing on June 12.
Wycombe return to Home Counties Premier League action this weekend when they entertain North Mymms at London Road, And they will be hoping for better luck than they received last Saturday when they travelled to Slough only to have their hopes dashed by the weather.
No play was possible all day and both sides were awarded seven points each.
However no damage was done to either side's title aspirations as all the matches in the division suffered the same fate.
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