FINCHAMPSTEAD completed their home Home Counties Premier League Division One fixtures with a 20-run defeat at the hands of second-placed Banbury last Saturday.

In a rain-affected game, they looked to be heading for victory at 198-4 in 30 overs as they chased a revised target of 240 from 40 overs, but Finch then collapsed to 219 all out.

James Woodford, who had been handed the captaincy by Dan Lincoln, won the toss for a game the visitors needed to win in order to boost their chances of finishing runners-up to champions Henley.

Conor Corlet dismissed Lloyd Sabin (23) and Shazad Rana (9) to leave Banbury 58-2, but Ollie Clarke and Shahid Yousaf shared a third-wicket stand of 86 in 58 minutes before the former was dismissed for 59 with Jason Soames taking a fine catch off his own bowling.

A further 59 runs followed in the next 45 minutes between Yousaf and Charles Hill came to an end then he latter was stumped by Dan Lincoln off Josh Lincoln for 22. And the brothers combined again to bring about the dismissal of Yousaf for 87.

Joe White (32) and Richard West, with 27 not out, pushed Banbury up to a respectable 272-7 off 50 overs in good batting conditions.

Corlet finished with 2-47 off 10 overs and Josh Lincoln 2-43 off eight.

Ten overs were lost for rain and the Duckworth Lewis method led to Finch being asked to make 240 in 40 overs.

After Greg Smith had gone for one, Oli Soames and Dan Lincoln produced a stand of 78 before the former was caught behind for 37, while Lincoln was on 57 (off 55 balls) when trapped lbw by Joe Thomas and Toby Albert (2) was dismissed in the same manner by West.

Josh Lincoln with 47 and Billy Rogers, who was run out for 46, kept the runs flowing, taking the total to 198, but once the partnership had been ended, wickets started to fall more frequently and the hosts lost their last six wickets for just 21 runs.

Finch, who slip to third-bottom in the table, finish the season at Slough, the side immediately below them, this coming Saturday,