HARVEER Gandam believes that the generation game is starting to work in favour of Burnham Cricket Club after an impressive start to the new season.

Burnham beat Reading by six wickets at Sonning Lane on Saturday to go third in the Home Counties Division One table with two wins from their opening four matches.

Gandam argues that the defeat of Reading was just the response he was looking for following a pair of rain-affected defeats, with the team more united by reduced age gap.

“In my time at Burnham we have been a generation apart, but we have moved on from that,” the skipper told the Observer.

“We have got one or two younger guys, a couple in the middle, and a few more experienced players, and we are all gelling very well.

“The result of that is we all want to play for each other, which is not something I have seen at Burnham for a long time.

“Our bowling has been very good, we have started to bowl in partnerships, and that is working for us. I can’t praise them enough at the moment. The emphasis now is all about partnerships and not playing as an individual.”

Burnham skittled Reading for just 124 in the 49th over with wickets for Aftab Khan (2-6), Adnan Malik (2-18), Sulaiman Javed (2-20) and Muhammad Haroon (2-37).

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Burnham skipper Harveer Gandam bowls in the defeat of Reading on Saturday.

“We got off to a great start with a wicket in the first over, but it was not until the spinners were in their fifth or sixth overs that the ball started to turn,” said Gandam.

“Everyone contributed thereafter and we managed to restrict Reading to 124, but I give them credit for batting as long as they did.”

Burnham reached 127-4 in the 36th over to secure victory with Malik (41*), Khan (38) and Fahad Raja (25) providing a backbone to the innings.

Gandam commented: “The run rate was never an issue but, because the wicket was really deteriorating, you are sometimes made to look foolish, so the boys batted really well.

“We chased the target down and I would say it was quite comfortable. When you bat time the runs will come and it was a good professional performance.”

He added: “We have got off to a good start, but in the last two games we’ve only competed for 50 per-cent and then gone to pot, so it was good for the guys to respond.

“To be honest, it was just the response I was looking for. We wanted the win because it’s never nice to lose back-to-back matches.”

Burnham welcome High Wycombe to Taplow Common Road this Saturday (11.30am start) with Gandam keen to take on the defending champions.

He said: “We have not been playing to our full potential at home, to have lost both matches is disappointing, so we need to put that right.

“There is no better side to do it against because they are champions from last year. It will be a good game and a challenge because they are a really good side.

“Any club that wants to win this league has to be balanced and that is where teams like High Wycombe excel.

“It will be a good game and hopefully the boys will respond to the Reading win.”