Horspath were thankful for rain as they drew their Division 1 clash at Reading after the hosts’ Praful Waghela had made an imperious unbeaten 153.

The visitors were in dire straits at 91-7 with 24.4 overs remaining in reply to Reading’s 271-7 from 60 overs when a deluge washed out the game.

Horspath had put the hosts in to bat in overcast conditions after winning the toss.

Adam Price picked up the first three wickets following a rain break, including Curran Gaur, to make it 51-3.

But Waghela, dropping down to No 4 from his usual opening slot, then took centre stage.

He was especially strong square of the wicket on both sides as he hit 18 fours.

It was the second time a batsman had hit 150 off Horspath’s attack this season, following Henley’s Michael Roberts.

Left-arm spinner Lloyd Belcher had Amardeep Dosanjh caught behind off his first ball, but was unable to add to his tally.

Price, meanwhile, switched from seam to off spin for his second spell, claiming the wickets of Sukhmeet Kang and Khalid Malik to finish with 5-89 off 22 overs.

With opener Robbie Eason falling to a brilliant one-handed diving catch by Malik at mid-on off Ian Slatcher, Horspath’s reply never got going.

A regular stream of wickets followed with leg-spinner David Hartley taking 4-51, while Malik tied up the other end with 2-10 off 8.2 overs before the rain arrived.