FINCHAMPSTEAD were involved in a dramatic finish at Horspath on Saturday, the game finishing in a tie.

Needing 240 to win, they looked in danger of defeat when losing their ninth wicket at 211, only for teenagers Michael O'Donahue and James Woodford to put on 28 and bring the scores level.

O'Donahue, a 17-year-old Wellington College student making his 1st XI debut, soundly fended off eight balls before clipping the next delivery off his toes into the hands of Mark Skelton at short fine leg, bringing an end to a game of fluctuating fortunes.

Having elected to field first, Finch made a great start by reducing their hosts to 28-4 in seven overs with Zac Jones (3-28) taking three wickets, trapping both openers lbw for ducks before bowling Daryll Brown for one.

But then Kyle Hopper (93) and Stephen Green (92no) led a tremendous recovery with a stand of 169, a fifth-wicket record partnership for their club as Horspath finished on 239-5 from their 50 overs.

Finch, missing the injured Greg Smith, opened with Tommie Predgen (2) and Josh Lincoln (22), but both were back in the pavilion at 29-2.

Billy Rogers was bowled for 13 and when Toby Albert was run out for the same unlucky total, the visitors were 96-4.

But Dan Lincoln was looking in good form once again and Finch reached the halfway stage requiring 100 runs to win.

However, they suffered a double blow when Lincoln was caught at point for 69 (off 80 balls), leaving Finch 152-5, and Simon Bell (19) departed at the same total.

While Darron Augustus (11) was the seventh man out at 173, Ryan Quinn (40) kept the score ticking along nicely, only to depart at 211, immediately followed by Jones, lbw to the second ball he faced.

With the tension mounting, last-man Woodford (13no) joined O'Donahue and the youngsters batted sensibly as they looked to edge their side to victory, but with 10 balls remaining, O'Donahue (19) lost his wicket to leave the match tied.

This coming Saturday, Finchampstead host the powerful Henley side who along with Datchet boast a 100-per-cent record after four games.