ESHWAR Dutta has backed Farnham Royals for promotion this summer if they can maintain their fine early season form.

Farnham won their first six matches and maintained their unbeaten record with a draw at Marlow 2s on Saturday for a 13-point lead in Division 4B.

Dutta, 17, believes that the young guns will be tested in the coming weeks, starting with a trip to Wooburn Narkovians this Saturday, but he is confident the Royals can be promotion contenders.

He told the Observer: “Our team start has been brilliant. We’ve been talking a lot as a group and I believe we know we need to push further up the divisions.

“I feel it has been a good and start we just need to maintain that, we should not get ahead of ourselves.

“We’ve got at tough game at Wooburn this week and we just need to keep our heads on, perform well and see what happens from there.

“It’s a benefit to play in such a young side because and the kids are been given the opportunity in Sunday cricket as well. That is progressing them on to play in Saturday cricket, which I believe is a more tough standard.

VIDEO: Farnham Royal teen star Eshwar Dutta talks with Slough Observer after the draw at Marlow.

“But, hopefully the kids are good here. We are all young and athletics, so we just need to continue to perform. Let us continue our form to the end of the season and we should be going up hopefully next year.

“In the next three or four weeks we’ve got the top sides and if we can beat them we should be safe, we should be challenging for promotion.

Dutta starred in the draw at Marlow on Saturday, claiming a five-wicket haul (5-79) off 21 overs as well as holding on to five catches.

He said: “Looking at the last three weeks, I’ve not been the best, but I have had some time to think about it and Nigel and the boys have encouraged me a lot.

“I’ve just stuck to my strengths. I know I have the ability to do it, it’s just I’ve got to prove it.

“I was very happy personally on Saturday but still disappointed we didn’t get the win on.”

Commenting on the draw he added: “I’m pretty disappointed because, coming here to play a mid-table side, they way we started was a bit poor, letting them drift to about 110 without loss.”

Check out our new Observer sports Facebook page. Search: Robert Observer Sport and like, follow and share today.