FINCHAMPSTEAD CC slipped to their second consecutive Division One defeat with a 24-run reverse at Banbury, writes Richard Ashton.

The home side won the toss and elected to bat in good conditions, but they slipped to 25-2 after Hugo Darby was run out by Adam Dewes and Craig Haupt was caught by Billy Rogers in the covers off the bowling of Matt Carter.

That was as good as it got for Finchampstead, however, as captain Lloyd Sabin was joined by New South Wales star Kurtis Patterson.

The pair accumulated steadily as visiting captain Dan Marles rotated his seven bowlers, with a 148-run stand only ended when Patterson (84 from 95 balls) got a fine edge to Sukhi Kang off the bowling of Max Uttley.

Oxfordshire captain Luke Ryan was bumped up the order in a bid to up the run rate, but he was bowled by Marles to leave Banbury 174-4.

Sabin’s outstanding innings of 70 was ended when he was run out by Rogers with the score on 221, and two more followed in the next three balls as the hosts slipped to 224-7.

Karl Penhale blasted a quick-fire 19 to add some impetus for the Oxfordshire side, although he holed out to Dan Lincoln on the deep mid wicket boundary off Marles (2-49). Banbury closed on 251-8 from their 50 overs.

The Finch reply started steadily but Matt Jones was then bowled by Penhale and Adam Dewes was well caught by Sabin off Brad Taylor to leave them 31-2.

Marles and Rogers tried to rebuild the innings and took the score to 57 before the former was stumped off the bowling of Richard West.

Rogers followed to the same bowler shortly afterwards, and at 68-4 the writing appeared to be on the wall for Finchampstead.

However, Lincoln (47 off 37 balls) counter-attacked to good effect and received valuable support from Andy Rishton (41) as the visitors got back into the contest.

Lincoln – who had earlier hit two huge 6s – went for one big hit to many and was caught on the boundary off West, and Kang fell cheaply to leave Finch 134-6.

Carter showed his capabilities with the bat and added 48 alongside Rishton before the latter was bowled by Ollie Wright to make it 182-7 in the 40th over.

Finch’s hopes were all but extinguished when Carter was run out for 25, and although Max Stevenson and Craig Hodges tried their hardest to throw the bat, they failed to keep up with the ever-increasing required run rate.

Stevenson was eventually caught by Sabin off the bowling of Ryan, and the game was up for Finchampstead when Wright bowled Hodges with the score on 227.

Finch host champions High Wycombe this Saturday (11am).