Sam Seecharan struck a maiden century for Finchampstead, Thomas McLeod battled to a defiant unbeaten hundred in a losing cause for Harefield, and further down the A40 Josh Lincoln launched eight sixes in a blistering cameo for High Wycombe, who move top of the table as Home Counties Premier Cricket League Division One enters its final two rounds with the destination of the title still very much up for grabs.
At Finchampstead Park, Seecharan was the class act of the weekend. His 118 from 107 balls, laced with ten fours and four sixes, anchored Finchampstead to an imposing 311 for nine after they won the toss and elected to bat, with useful support from Dan Marles (41) and Ben Salter (30). Slough had no answer in reply, undone by Eddie Campion’s 4 for 18 and Nadeem Syed’s four early wickets at the other end, and were bowled out for 151 to hand Finchampstead a maximum-points Win 50.
There was individual brilliance on the losing side at White Post Road too, where Thomas McLeod carried his bat for an outstanding unbeaten 102 as Harefield posted 241 for six batting first. It was not enough to trouble Banbury, however, who were carried home by Kieran Coyne’s rapid 85 and an unbeaten 69 from Charlie Hill, chasing the target down with nine overs to spare for another 20-point haul.
High Wycombe’s afternoon at home to Oxford Downs was as one-sided as it gets. Dan Lincoln’s 80 provided the platform, but it was Josh Lincoln’s cameo that set pulses racing, – 59 from just 20 balls, including eight sixes- as High Wycombe piled on 332 for seven. Oxford Downs never recovered, slipping to 131 all out inside 34 overs as Parsons and Haddow shared six wickets between them, Haddow’s three further extending his lead at the top of the division’s bowling charts.
Henley provided the weekend’s upset, edging out Aston Rowant despite Christopher Watling’s fine 67 setting up what looked a competitive total of 175. Owen Bowles ripped through the middle and lower order with 5 for 41, and although Henley had to work for their runs – Tom Nugent (20 not out) and Samm Daniel (16 not out) seeing them home – they got there with 175 for eight, claiming a full 20 points on the road.
Great Brickhill’s Jack Rodnight produced the innings of his season in a losing cause at Rotten Row, striking a superb 78 to drag his side to 212 all out after early wickets threatened to derail the innings completely. Wokingham, though, had too much depth in the chase, Archie Carter’s 57 setting the platform before Gihahn Cloete (39) and Shaan Khan (34) saw them home for the loss of seven wickets.
With just two rounds remaining, the table has been reshuffled at the top.
High Wycombe’s big win lifts them to first on 309 points, twenty clear of Oxford Downs in second on 289 despite their heavy defeat this weekend. Finchampstead’s own win keeps them third on 277, with Banbury close behind in fourth on 273, meaning all four of the season’s front-runners remain firmly in the title picture heading into the run-in. Aston Rowant sit fifth on 234, Henley sixth on 207 after their win at home, and Harefield seventh on 189 despite McLeod’s heroics. Wokingham move up to eighth on 176, while Slough and Great Brickhill occupy the bottom two places on 170 and 99 respectively.
Lloyd Sabin remains well clear at the top of the run-scoring charts on 762, with M G Pardoe and Freddie Smith completing the top three, but Sam Seecharan’s century will have propelled him firmly into that leading pack, while Dan Lincoln’s 80 continues a fine season that already had him inside the top ten. With the ball, Haddow’s latest three-wicket haul stretches his advantage at the summit to 39 wickets and counting, with Callum Bladen, Maximillian Mannering and Liam Dudding making up a congested chasing group behind him.
With High Wycombe now setting the pace but Oxford Downs, Finchampstead and Banbury all within touching distance, Division One’s title race promises everything over its final two rounds.
