Finchampstead won their last away HCPL fixture of the season at Tring Park – but ended up pointless.

Following the game, they were deducted all 20 points for fielding Scott Osler, without realising he was not registered.

The match was badly affected by rain and at one point it looked as if it would have to be abandoned.

At 3.45pm, the umpires said play would need to restart by 5.38pm in order to get in 20 overs under the Duckworth Lewis method and it resumed on the dot in bright sunshine with Finch facing a revised target of 126.

They went on to win by seven wickets with seven balls to spare thanks to Greg Smith making 54 and Adam Dewes 38, the opening pair putting on 62 in 10 overs.

The match had started in remarkable fashion with Darren Augustus bowling skipper Shelvin Gumbs and Andrew Dixon, but he also conceded five wides and by the end of the first over it was 14-2.

The runs continued to flow and 33 were on the board by the end of the third over.

But Tring also lost wickets and stumbled to 67-5 before David Brent (48) and Mo Choudhry (44) lifted the score to 166.

Finch also conceded a rather alarming 38 extras, including 23 wides and 12 no balls, as the hosts were eventually dismissed for 211 in 49 overs.

Ryan Quinn was the pick of the bowlers with 3-18 off eight overs, while Augustus finished with 3-56 and skipper Craig Hodges 2-30 off eight.

As the teams came off the rain returned with a heavy spell and it was two-and-a-half hours before play could resume on the drying ground.

Then only 20 overs were available to Finches with a revised D/L score to obtain of 126, which they did quite comfortably.

Their final game is home to Banbury this Saturday.

In the Thames Valley League’s Division 2b, Finchampstead 2nds were dismissed for 180 (Richard Reed 46, Ollie Armstrong 40) as they replied to Beaconsfield’s 280-6, seamer Andy Lazenbury taking 3-55.

Finchampstead 3rds lost their Division 3a fixture, posting 222-6 following useful scores from Harry King 46, Andy Webb 46 and Ian Rose 44, with Fleet cruising home by eight wickets.

Finchampstead 4ths also crashed to a heavy reverse in Division 6b, managing only 164-7 in reply to champions Taplow 2nds’ remarkable total of 442-6 from 45 overs, four wickets for Dilan Patel.

In their final Division 9a fixture, Finchampstead 5ths (121) lost to Maidenhead & Bray 4ths by 42 runs and their first defeat of the season means they can now be pipped for the title by Wokingham 5ths.

Matt Rowley, with 41, and Chris Taylor 40 scored the bulk of Finch’s runs.