FINCHAMPSTEAD open their defence of the Home Counties Premier League title with a home game against Oxford on Saturday (11am).

And once again they will have the services of Jandre Coetzee, the South African who enjoyed a remarkable first season with the club last year.

The left-arm paceman captured 58 wickets in 171.4 overs at an average of just 7.93, taking five wickets or more on seven occasions, including 7-16 against Great & Little Tew.

While he took the bowling honours, Dan Lincoln produced their best batting average with 48.70 from 15 innings, scoring a total of 497.

He was closely followed by skipper Dan Marles who totalled 376 runs at an average of 47.00 and Andrew House, who averaged 44.00 from an eight-innings total of 352, which included 228 against Slough, the highest individual score by some distance ever recorded in Division One.

Finchampstead will be hoping for more of the same this year, though they are certainly not getting carried away.

Seamer Darren Augustus has returned to the club after a time in the Midlands, but there has been one departure with Max Stevenson switching to Division Two club Datchet.

Berkshire all-rounder Andy Rishton also won’t be around at the start as he is at Loughborough University and playing for Loughborough Town in the Leicestershire & Rutland League.

Finchampstead 2nds, last year’s Thames Valley League Division 2A champions, warmed up for the season with a friendly against new Division One rivals Wokingham last Saturday.

They posted 241-5 in 45 overs with Greg Smith making 64 and Gary Loveday 61.

But that wasn’t sufficient as Wokingham replied with 245-6, thanks largely to an unbeaten 109 from Danny Housego and 44 from Michael Bates.

The Oaks will be one of the favourites to lift the league title, having finished third in 2016.

They get their campaign under way this Saturday away to promoted Henley 2nds, while Finchampstead 2nds travel to Stoke Green, who were narrowly pipped for the title by Chesham last season.

Division 2a side Eversley go into their seasonal opener at home to Hayes on the back of an eight-wicket defeat to Cookham Dean.

Matt Salter made 51 in the Boars’ total of 140, but South African Chris Marrow made light work of that total by scoring an unbeaten 85 as the visitors eased home.

In Division 2b, Royal Ascot travel to Beaconsfield and Hurst visit Yateley.

Bracknell begin their Division 5b league season with a trip to Chiswick & Whitton 2nds.