SLOUGH failed in their bid to complete a hat-trick of wins in Division One after a nine-wicket defeat at Henley on Saturday.

Henley won the toss and invited Slough to bat first, the visitors making just 157 runs all out in 60.2 overs.

Opening batsman Fahim Qureshi top-scored with 92 runs from 151 balls, an innings that included 16 boundaries. He put on 65 runs for the seventh wicket with Sulaiman Akhtar (10).

Slough could not support Qureshi at the crease as only overseas player Shahid Yousaf (11) and Conrad Louth (10) also reached double figures.

Euan Woods was the pick of the Henley bowling attack with figures of 4-16 from 15 overs, including nine maidens. He took the wickets of Louth and Yousaf.

Woods was backed up by Gurveer Singh (3-27), Matthew Rowe, who had Qureshi trapped leg before wicket in his 2-5, and Tom Nugent (1-33).

Henley reached 161-1 after 32 overs for the win thanks to an opening stand of 134 runs between captain Michael Roberts (77*) and Rowe (62).

Yousaf was the only one of the six Slough bowlers used to claim a wicket, having Rowe caught by Louth in his 1-47 from nine overs.

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Fahim Qureshi top-scored for Slough with 92 runs in the nine-wicket defeat at Henley on Saturday.

Slough captain Bobby Sher told the Observer: “It was a bit of a drumming to be honest and one of those days where nothing went right for us.

“It was a good wicket but we didn’t bat very well and scored 157 runs on a 300-run wicket.

“Fahim was unlucky when he got out so missed out on a century but showed dedication and application at the crease. Hopefully he can take that form into the next match.

“The rest of the team scored 50-odd runs and there’s no excuse for that. There wasn’t enough application at the crease.”

He continued: “We started off okay with the ball but never really got into Henley.

“Once they got over the 50-60 run mark they started to play their shots and batted well.

“We might have had a sniff had we taken a few wickets early on, but Henley saw off the new ball and batted well to take the game away from us.

“It was one of those matches where I can’t really explain what went wrong, but everything did with the bat.”

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Slough overseas player Shahid Yousaf claimed the only Henley wicket as his side suffered a drumming.

The defeat means Slough have fallen from top spot to sixth position in the league table ahead of a visit to Upton Court Park from High Wycombe this Saturday (11am start).

Sher said: “High Wycombe are a very good side so it will be another tough match.

“We really need to step up our game and put on a much better performance.

“Ikhlaq Nawaz is still out injured and a big miss for us but we will see what we can do without him.”

Grab a copy of the Observer today for all the latest sports news and action.