IKLAQ Nawaz Raja produced a fine spell of bowling to help Slough secure an impressive 71-run win over High Wycombe at London Road on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

He took 5-47 off 11 overs as the reigning Home Counties Premier League champions were dismissed for 144, their lowest total of the season.

The game had not started too well for Bobby Sher’s men as Mohammed Avas was run out with only four runs to his name.

But Nabil Shah and Waqas Hussain quickly set about improving matters and they put on 66 before Berkshire county player Hussain was trapped lbw by Paul Sawyer for 40, which came off 43 deliveries with all but four of his runs coming from boundaries.

Slough, however, struggled to maintain the initiative with the batmen unable to spend any length of time at the crease and finding home bowlers James Benning (2-62) and Alan Duncan (3-44) difficult to force away.

Shahid Yousaf managed only seven runs, Shaan Khan fell for 15 and Feroz Baig for 12 before Shah’s resistance ended when he sixth man out at 139. His 56 came off 73 balls and included 10 fours.

Steve Green (9) and Bobby Sher (2) were soon back in the pavilion and at 156-8 the visitors were not looking strongly placed.

But that changed with an invaluable stand of 42 from Shazid Rana (33) and Ali Raja (23) helped to take Slough to 215 before they were all out in the 57th over.

Wycombe, who hammered 345-6 in 50 overs off the Slough attack early in May, have relied heavily on their batting strength this season, particularly Garth Davson, who went into the match at the top of the league’s batting averages with 710 runs from nine games to his name.

But he managed to add just two more to his total before being caught behind by Rana off the bowling of Raja The same bowler trapped Gavin Baker (2) and Sawyer (0) both lbw and Wycombe were wobbling at 16-3.

Shaan Khan dismissed Duncan (21) and Raja bowled George Russell for 16, but they met some resistance from David Cranfield-Thompson, who hit a battling 42 from 39 deliveries with nine boundaries before losing his wicket to Yousaf (2-23).

Benning added 17 and Cameron Parsons (20 not out) but there was no stopping Slough and they sealed victory after 35 overs.

Sher’s men remain fifth in the table and tomorrow they entertain the side immediately below them, Tring Park.

In Division 2b of the Thames Valley League, Slough 2nds were on the receiving end of a 66-run reverse at the hands of High Wycombe 2nds – their first defeat in 10 games.

Replying to the visitors’ 196-6, they were dismissed for 130 with first-team bowler Jon Burden taking 6-46 off 11.4 overs.

Slough 3rds crushed Teddington Town by 161 runs to stay in hot pursuit of Division 4a leaders Cranbourne.

A second-wicket stand of 114 by skipper Sami Kazim (76) and Raheem Aktar (60) proved the solid foundation for Slough’s 228-8 off 52 overs.

Sheryar Baig then took 6-37 off 12.2 overs and Humza Majid 3-20 as Teddington were shot out for a paltry 67.

Unbeaten Slough 5ths (119-7) beat NPL Teddington 3rds (118 all out) and hold a massive 77-point lead at the top of Division 9b.