SLOUGH captain Bobby Sher has challenged his side to win as many points as possible from their three remaining timed matches in Division One this season.

Sher knows Slough prefer the timed format over the 50 overs-a-side game and four wins from six matches has seen them rise to second position in the table.

A comfortable six-wicket victory against Tring Park at Upton Court Park on Saturday sees Slough in the mix for the title this summer, but Sher will reassess the situation in three weeks time.

He explained to the Observer: “We need to get as many points as we can in the next three games then raise our game in the shorter format and see how far we can go.

“We’ve got to take it one game at a time, continue to work hard, and see where we are with three or four matches left.

“We’re looking for a top-four finish now but there are a lot of tough games coming up, like Banbury away this Saturday (11am).

“The Banbury overseas player has come good now and they have other very good players, so we’re expecting another tough game.

“Banbury are in good form themselves and it’s very tight at the top so they could easily jump above us.”

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Overseas star Shahid Yousaf has scored 520 runs in 11 matches with an impressive average 74.29 this season.

Slough won the toss and invited Tring Park to bat first with the visitors reaching 233-8 off 64 overs.

Opening batsman Alexander Woodland (70) and Liam Gough (48) put on 121 runs for the first wicket, but Tring struggled thereafter with only Andrew Dixon (22), David Brent (21) and captain Shelvin Gumbs (16) able to reach double figures.

Ali Akbar Raja was the best of the Slough bowlers with figures of 4-64 from 23 overs, which included the wickets of Brent and Gumbs.

Sher took the wicket of Woodland in his 2-30 while the other wickets fell to Shaid Yousaf (1-26) and Sulaiman Akhtar (1-35).

Slough reached 235-4 off 49.3 overs in response and for their seventh win in 11 matches this summer.

Overseas star Yousaf carried his bat through for an unbeaten 75 runs from 85 balls, which included 12 boundaries.

Yousaf put on 54 runs with Conrad Louth (58) for the third wicket, after Louth and Daniyal Akhtar (24) made 62 in a second-wicket stand.

Andy Harris was the pick of the Tring Park bowlers with figures of (2-36), while the other wickets fell to Brent (1-21) and Gumbs (1-80).

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Summer signing Conrad Louth has scored 418 runs this season included four 50s and one century.

Sher commented: “Things didn’t go our way before lunch and we could have had three or four wickets, but unfortunately that’s cricket.

“If we worked that little bit harder we knew that we could make inroads and we got success for the way we bowled.

"We were quite positive that we could chase down the runs and it was a good batting performance from the guys, so another good, disciplined away win."

He added: "We knew Ali Akbar Raja would come good at some point because he had not quite got the rewards he deserves.

"He has been a magnificent spinner for us this season and always gives his all on and off the field, especially in training. I've been really happy with him.

"Shahid Yousaf has been superb for us this year and hopefully he can continue that.

"His work rate has been brilliant and, like Conrad Louth, they've always been amazing off the field as well.

"We were working well as a unit and all the guys are chipping in with runs."

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