Datchet leapfrog Rowant to go top
Skipper Barrett hits 137 in eight-wicket win
Datchet have moved top of the Home Counties League Division 1 table, leapfrogging leaders Aston Rowant with a magnificent eight-wicket victory on Saturday.
Having suffered an afternoon to forget in their 101-run loss to Finchampstead the previous week, Datchet bounced back in fine style with skipper, Joe Barrett, leading the charge to the top of the table.
In a rain-affected match, Datchet were better in all departments at the Wally Gage Memorial Ground.
Having limited their visitors to just 242 in 61.3 overs, with Steven Naylor taking 4-72, including the crucial dismissals of Rowant dangermen Hayden Rossouw (13) and Joshua Smith (3), Datchet chased their target in less than 36 overs.
Datchet’s Sean Solia (2-45) and Oliver Smithson (2-53) also took a couple of wickets apiece.
With rain threatening to spoil the occasion, and their number of overs revised down to just 39, Barrett hit an unbeaten 137 from just 124 deliveries, a knock that included 25 fours and one six. Opening partner Calvin Dickinson was also in sublime form at the crease, hitting 92 before falling just shy of his century to a delivery from Wesley Morrick (268).
Datchet’s fifth victory of the season lifts them four points clear of Aston Rowant at the top ahead of Saturday’s trip to bottom of the table Buckingham Town.
Buckingham have lost all seven of their league matches so far, collecting just 37 points in the process, so Barrett’s men will be anticipating another victory.
In the same division, newly promoted Slough drew for the first time this season, digging in diligently with the bat to hold High Wycombe to a draw.
With Eliot Callis at his brilliant best, Wycombe made 3029 before declaring in the 49th over. Callis smashed five huge sixes on his way to 172 from 127, and with Teddie Casterton also in fine form for his 46, Wycombe raced out to 258-2 before Slough's bowlers managed to get to grips with their hosts.
Aashir Zaib took their best figures of 5-45, however, Slough’s hopes of victory looked unlikely at the changeover.
Having slipped to 124-6, Slough’s lower order applied themselves well to dig the side out of trouble. The weather also intervened to give them a helping hand.
Dan Lincoln finished on 57 not out while Yaqoot Rafiq managed 45 before falling to Conner Haddow (5-90). Captain Nadeem Syed also chipped in with a useful 12 from 15 deliveries to ensure the visitors saw out their revised target of 42 overs on 202-7.
Both teams picked up 15 points for their efforts, leaving Slough in seventh on 101 points, but incredibly, just 21 points shy of leaders Datchet.
Wargrave bounced back from their embarrassing defeat to Thame Town last week as they defeated Tring Park by six wickets in Division 2.
Picking up their fifth win of the season as well as 25 muchneeded points, Neal Robinson's side closed to within five points of leaders Harefield ahead of their trip to eighthplaced Amersham this weekend.
Having won the toss and elected to field, Robinson's side limited Tring to 177 with the ball, despite the best efforts of
top scorer Edward Pike (52).
Euan Woods finished with his side’s best figures, taking 543, including that of Pike, but it was Rhodri Lewis (4-51), who ripped the heart from the opposition’s middle order.
He removed Matt SmalleyHarris (22), captain Andrew Dixon (20) and Sagar Chand
(25) to put the home side in the driving seat.
They then chased their target for the loss of five wickets with Rhodri Lewis top scoring with 56 and other notable contributions coming from the bats of Faaez Shamsi (39), Woods (30) and Sulaiman Javed (35).