SLOUGH captain Bobby Sher admits that his side were not good enough in the three-wicket defeat against Banbury at Upton Court Road on Saturday.

The home team won the toss and elected to bat first but they were bowled out for just 161 after 47.3 overs.

Conrad Louth top-scored with 51 runs from 61 balls, including seven boundaries and one maximum, while Steven Green was the pick of the Banbury bowlers with his figures of 4-17 from 10 overs.

Slough managed to take seven wickets in defence of their total as Banbury struggled to provide support to top scorer Craig Haupt (68).

He was dismissed with the score 121-6 but number eight, Green (24*) and nine, Oliver Wright (13*), took the visitors to victory at 162-7 with three overs still remaining.

Slough captain Sher told the Observer: “We decided to bat first because it was a nice hot day. We were going along nicely and at halfway were really happy but then I don’t know what to say. We went completely downhill from there.

“Steven (ex-Slough player) bowled well but we gave our wickets away and just collapsed. We lost three wickets in one over without scoring a run.

“We had a chat about it and the guys need to learn that we have to occupy the crease.

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Conrad Louth top-scored for Slough with 51 runs from 61 balls in the three-wicket defeat against Banbury. 

“We had another three overs to bat and another 20-30 runs more would have been a very good score on that wicket.

“Conrad has been superb for us but could have gone on a little more and Shahid Yousaf (38) got out at the wrong time. No-one else produced anything and for first team cricket that’s not good enough.”

He continued: “We bowled well and stuck to our plans really well but were let down by our fielding. We dropped Craig on 10 and then 20 and that would have been a big difference.

“Credit to the guys because we stuck at our jobs and kept on fighting and working hard, but were let down by some sloppy fielding.

“We didn’t deserve to win the match and Banbury were worthy winners on the day. Just another five or 10 per-cent could have been enough.”

The defeat means Slough have dropped to sixth position in the table ahead of a trip to eighth-placed Thame Town this Saturday (11.30am start).

Sher said “We will keep on working hard and hope for some improvement.

"I don't know anything about Thame and have not played there for a number of years, but they must be a good team and we will not take any side in this league lightly.

"We have a tough weekend ahead with the T20 match on Monday and the guys are fasting as well."

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