FINCHAMPSTEAD slumped to their second successive Home Counties Premier League Division One home defeat when ripped apart by High Wycombe's pace attack, losing by 75 runs, writes Dave Wright.

They bowled and fielded well to limit their visitors to 207-9 in 50 overs – with former Finch skipper Dan Marles making a half-century – but brittle batting in a revised order saw them sent reeling to 71-7, eventually being all out for 132.

They were left a batsman short after opener Greg Smith was taken to hospital after splitting the webbing in his hand while fielding.

Marles elected to bat first when winning the toss and saw his side go along at five runs an over in the first 10 for the loss of Eliot Callis for 13.

Fellow opener Conrad Louth and Lloyd Paternott, both close-season signings from Slough, managed only 13 runs apiece, while Matt Gouldstone went for 10.

Lincoln was repeatedly rotating his six bowlers and it appeared to work with only Zac Jones failing to take a wicket.

They would have enjoyed even more success had they taken their catches, with Marles twice being dropped.

He eventually fell to a catch by Josh Lincoln at mid-on off the bowling of Darron Augustus for a valuable 59, which came off 84 balls. His departure left Wycombe 147-7, but Adam Dobb (26) and Conner Haddow (27) lifted the visitors to 207-9.

With Smith absent, Lincoln shuffled his batting order, promoting Augustus to opener with Tommie Predgen and dropping himself down to number six in the order.

But 20 overs of pace bowling tore the innings apart, with the most successful being Cameron Parsons, who took 4-26 off 10 overs.

Of the top order, only Billy Rogers (28) made it into double figures while Dan Lincoln was on seven when given out lbw to Parsons, the skipper's second similar dismissal in successive home games.

There was some late resistance from Simon Bell (21) and Jones (29), but they just delayed the inevitable, with the Finch innings ending on 132-9 in the 31st over.

This coming Saturday, they are away to Horspath, who currently have a similar record of one win and two defeats.

Dan Lincoln has this week been playing for Middlesex 2nds against Sussex 2nds in a three-day game at Uxbridge.

Finch have been given the green light by the HCPL to play Oli Soames, the Hampshire professional, but it could be some time before the 22-year-old opening bat will be seen at the village club as he will be needed by his first-class county while James Vince is on World Cup duty with England.

Finchampstead 2nds claimed a second straight Thames Valley League Division 2b victory after they edged out Royal Ascot by 10 runs.

Matt Eldridge (43) and Matt Lazenbury were the principle run-makers as Finch were dismissed for 218, Jack Kendall (3-34) and Joshua Jayasingh (3-43) the stand-out bowlers.

Charlie Dunnett's 87 was supported by Nick Wiggett making an unbeaten 41, but Connor Corlet's 5-40 helped Finch dismiss their opponents for 208.

In Division 3a, Finchampstead 3rds produced a remarkable rally to beat Falkland 2nds by two wickets.

Matt Harper claimed 3-25 as Finch restricted the visitors to 171-8, only for the home side to collapse to 52-6 in reply.

However, a wonderful partnership between Sean Woodward (71) and Sam Taylor (43no) proved pivotal, and Finch got home with 33 balls to spare.

Joe Sheldon (69) and Jamie Brown (62) were among the runs for Finchampstead 4ths (184-6), but they went down by seven wickets to Theale & Tilehurst 2nds (185-3) in Division 6b.

Jamie Burton's 51 paved the way for Finchampstead 5ths (135-5) to beat Thatcham Town 3rds (130) by five wickets in Division 8a.

* FINCHAMPSTEAD (158-3), with a side containing four Under 15 players, defeated Bracknell (146) by 12 runs in the Bracknell KO Cup thanks mainly to Billy Rogers, who made 78 not out, and Simon Bell, who was run out for 66 off the final ball of the innings.

* EVERYONE connected to the club wishes Denis Maynard a swift recovery following his heart attack last week.