SLOUGH moved to the top of the Home Counties Premier League Division One table with a seven-wicket home success against Finchampstead.

Having won the toss, Finch batted first but soon lost openers Andrew House for 10 and Greg Smith with just six to his name.

Shiv Jindal (5) and Simon Bell (10) also didn’t survive for long and Finches found themselves 37-4 with 12 overs gone.

Then a steady stand between Adam Dewes and Ryan Quinn saw the side safely to the lunch interval at 89-4.

Shortly after the restart, Quinn was bowled by spinner Ali Raja for 22 and when Josh Lincoln (1) offered Raja a return catch the visitors were 114-6.

Dewes remained defiant until being bowled for 61 with the total on 128 and shortly afterwards Richard Reed (0) became Raja’s third victim.

At 135-8, a modest score was beckoning. However, Dan Lincoln braved the discomfort of an injured hand to push the score along with Rehan Akram offering solid support at the other end.

Their partnership was just one run short of 100, but with one ball remaining Akram was dismissed by home skipper Bobby Sher for 46, leaving Lincoln 56 not out – a brave knock considering his injury – and the total on 235-9 from 64 overs.

In reply, Akram removed Slough opener Yaqoot Rafiq for nine before Dewes was introduced to the attack and with his first delivery he bowled Conrad Louth, who was poised to play for Finchampstead until switching to Slough on the eve of the season. It then became 59-3 when Fahim Querishi (33) was brilliantly caught by House at wide mid-on, with the ball dropping over his shoulder, to give Dewes his second wicket.

However, that was to prove Finchampstead’s last success of the day.

Shahid Yousaf and Danny Akhtar looked solid at the crease despite Lincoln using six bowlers, and changing them around on frequent occasions.

Yousaf went on to make 116 and Akhtar 72 in an unbroken partnership of 179 as Slough sealed a seven-wicket victory with five overs to spare.

Slough travel to reigning champions Henley this coming Saturday (11am).

In Division One of the Thames Valley League, Slough 2nds dropped to sixth after losing by six wickets at Henley 2nds.

Slough batted first after winning the toss and they made a fine start, Ali Ahmed blasting 71 from just 53 balls in an opening stand of 95 with Sami Kazim.

However, Ahmed’s departure came just eight runs before three wickets fell with the score on 103, and the innings then lacked a substantial knock as Slough were bowled out for 213.

Off spinner Zippy Ashraf (4-46 off 17.5 overs) was the pick of the Henley attack, receiving useful support from the experienced Sean Taylor (3-34 from 11).

Tom Oldershaw and Ashraf put on 41 for the first wicket in the Henley reply, Humza Majid making the breakthrough when he bowled the former.

Ashraf made a classy 41 until he was trapped lbw by Sajid Hussain, and with Chris Ellison caught by Hussain off Syed Ali Shah, the game was in the balance with the home side 91-3.

However, a magnificent innings from Will Legg (107 from 102 balls) turned the game in Henley’s favour, and despite his departure late on – caught by Ahmed off the bowling of skipper Omar Jamshad – home skipper Charlie Homewood (45no) got his side over the line.

Slough 3rds are third in the Division 4b table after a nerve-jangling two-wicket success at Hillingdon Manor.

Sheryar Baig (4-44 off 15) and Nabeel Janed (3-39) were the pick of the Slough attack as they knocked over the visitors for 174.

Things looked good for the visitors as Uzair Majid (78) and Shahzad Baig put on a good third-wicket partnership, and despite a middle-order collapse, they were able to cross the line with just two balls to spare.

Sameer Kulkarni struck a brilliant century for Slough 4ths as they dominated their Division 6a draw at home to Barnes Wild Geese.

He smashed a magnificent 125, Rehan Ahmed added 64 and Kashif Hashmi scored 44 as the table-toppers declared on an imposing 321-8 from 50 overs.

In reply, the Geese batted excellently themselves to fall just short on 280-8, Rishi Sharath (4-122 from 25 overs) and Kulkarni (3-48) the standout performers for Slough.

In Division 7b, Slough 5ths moved to the head of the table following a three-wicket success at home to Ruislip 2nds.

Srivatsan Senji Gomadam was the pick of the Slough attack as he took 4-46 from 16.3 overs, Ruislip eventually bowled out for 133.

Ranvir Rana (36) top scored in the Slough reply, but useful contributions from Nitesh Kashyap, Lav Prabhakar and Prathamesh Dixit ensured their side picked up a fifth win in seven games to move to the top of the placings.