SLOUGH Cricket Club have been eliminated from the Home Counties T20 competition after defeat to High Wycombe on Monday.

Slough beat Amersham to reach round three, but will miss out on a place in finals day after finding High Wycombe too good at Upton Court Road.

Skipper Bobby Sher admits his team were looking for big shots too early in their innings, but has praised the bowlers for a brave defence of the low score.

“To be honest, it was a case of us not assessing the wicket as well and as quickly as we should have done,” Sher told the Observer.

“We played big shots too early rather than getting our eye in. Rather than going for 200 or more, 120-150 runs would have been a very good score on that wicket.

“We managed to get up to 100 mainly because Feroz Baig made 48.

“Our fielding and bowling was very good, and we managed to make a fist of it, but High Wycombe finished the match with two balls to spare.

“It’s very tough to defend 100. It only takes a couple of bad overs for the game to get away from you, but credit to the guys.”

Slough are still searching for a first win in Home Counties Division One after a 23-run defeat at Henley on Saturday.

Henley set a target of 291-9 from their 50 overs with Richard Morris leading the charge with 125, supported by his skipper Michael Roberts on 44.

Sher led by example with the ball, recording figures of 4-65, while there were also wickets for Shahid Yousaf (1-26), Iklaq Raja (1-33), Waqas Hussain (1-34) and Steven Green (1-59).

Slough got off to a poor start in reply at 13-3, but Lloyd Paternott (84) a century from Yousaf (105) and Sher (23) steadied the ship at 227-5.

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Slough bowler Steven Green is hit for six in the defeat to High Wycombe on Monday.

However, wickets continued to fall and the home side were eventually all out for 268 in the 49th over.

Tom Nugent was the destroyer-in-chief for Henley with his 6-26 haul.

“I don’t know what to say,” admitted Sher. “We are getting closer but it was a bit of a poor display in the field.

“We dropped four catches including Richard Morris on 35 with a simple chance, and he went on to get 125. You just can’t make those kind of mistakes in Premier League cricket because top players will punish you.

“We lost two wickets in the first over and then Waqas (5), but Lloyd and Shaan both batted superbly.

“Once Lloyd was out I went in and put on 60 with Shaan and we were in the driving seat, but unfortunately it was just not meant to be and we deflated.”

He added: “I wouldn’t say I got any extra improvement, maybe five per cent, but we are still short of where we need to be.

"It’s a game that we should have won, but credit to Henley who continued to work hard when bowling. They worked hard all round but I would say we lost that one.”

Slough host Berkshire rivals Reading at Upton Court Road this Saturday (11.30am start) and Sher has urged his players to remain confident in their search for a first win.

“Reading, Harefield and ourselves are the only sides not to have won a game so it’s massive for both teams,” he said. “We need a win, there is no two ways about it.

“Obviously we have not won and that is going to effect confidence, but the guys know we have played good cricket and probably should have won three matches this season.

“Hopefully confidence levels will stay strong because this is a great bunch of lads.

“They are young, hungry and committed.”