Slough’s opener settled on the very final ball

Slough Cricket Club were competitive, but ultimately unsuccessful on their return to Home Counties Cricket League Division 1 on Saturday.

Their match against Finchampstead went right down to the wire but, with the outcome in the balance in the final over, the home side edged a fortunate four over third man and went on to take victory. Captain Nadeem Syed will admit they could have done better with the bat, making only 185 before being bowled out in the 45th over, however, Kashif Ali did at least make a stand, reaching 54 before he fell to Ollie Thilo (4-27).

But the game remained on a knife edge throughout Finchampstead's reply as Syed (3-47) and Raja Ikhlaq Nawaz (2-27) chipped away with wickets. Entering the final over the game could easily have swung Slough's way, with the home side needing five runs to win with just three balls to face. However, with a big slice of fortune going their way, they got the runs they needed off the final few balls to pick up 20 points to Slough’s eight. They finished on 186-9. “I thought we were very competitive,” said Syed. “We lost the game on the last ball when we had them nine down. It could have gone either way.

“They needed five off the last three balls and got an edge over the third man to get four.

“We were right in the game until the last ball so that was a positive. We could have batted slightly better and had a little bit more control over our extras, but I couldn't fault the effort. Sometimes in these kinds of games you're on the receiving end.”