Team: 1st XI
Date: 25th May
Vs: Buckingham
Result: Match lost by 9 wickets

Visiting Finchampstead for the first time on Saturday were Buckingham Town in the third match of the premier league season.

Fine playing conditions looked to promise a run filled day. But put in to bat Finches failed to gain any kind of innings impetus from the start. Accurate seam bowling meant only 16 were on the board after 9 overs with crucially both openers Russell Lane and Scott Patterson back in the pavilion caught after tentative strokes. After some steady batting from Sam Cheetham the middle order failed to cope at all and with four more wickets falling the innings was in real trouble at lunch at 82 for 6. Immediately following the interval Cheetham was caught behind for 32. Two more fell so at 103 for 9 it was disarray as Anthony Parson arrived at the crease joining Matt Harper. The pair batted sensibly putting on 37 runs in 15 overs before the dismissal of Harper for 23 and with Parson not out 19 the score total was 140. There were four wickets apiece for pacemen Dwane Bowden and Leo Churms.

The score even with the partial recovery looked totally inadequate as Buckingham set about their task. The excellent conditions held no problems for openers Rob Large and Lee Tomlinson. Together they hammered runs at every opportunity even with seven bowlers varying the options. The visitors were coasting to a ten wicket success when with 6 needed skipper Large was bowled by Sam Cheetham for 72. This left Tomlinson on 57 not out as the win was assured by 9 wickets at 143 for 1.