FINCHAMPSTEAD are rapidly making up lost ground with skipper Dan Marles confident the defending Home Counties Premier League champions can maintain their winning run, writes Dave Wright.

A three-wicket win over Banbury in an absorbing encounter on Saturday was their third in their last four games – the other was drawn – and keeps them hot on the trail of pace-setting Henley.

Finch are in fourth place, 17 points behind the table toppers, with seven games completed.

“It was a difficult start to the season for us for various reasons, but now we are getting more players available, there is no reason why we can’t keep climbing the table,” said Marles.

“Considering we lost our first three games, we are happy where we currently find ourselves in the league. The players are in good form, the batters are doing well and we know we can bowl out our opponents.”

They restricted Banbury to 274-8 on a good batting track at Finchampstead and achieved it without the services of Jandre Coetzee, their most outstanding performer last year. He flew back to South Africa to be with his wife who has just given birth to a son.

“In some ways, it was quite nice to win a game without him, as last season people were saying we were only winning games because of him,” commented Marles.

“This win showed we have got some good young bowlers in our team, and I thought we did well to keep them (Banbury) to 274 as they have some top batters in their side.

“I always felt that was a total we could better. As you would expect here, it was a good wicket and, if you play to your ability, you are always going to get runs - and we showed that.”

The Finch skipper continued: “We got off to a good start thanks to Andy House (90) and Greg Smith (30) and I was happy to come in at No. 3 and score 60.

“We did lose a couple of wickets in quick succession in the middle of our innings at about 150, but we were still in a good position as we have quite a long batting line-up.

“Billy Rogers (48 not out) batted well despite not feeling too good and it was good to see AP (Anthony Parsons) come in late on to win the game for us with a couple of overs to spare.

“It was a good chase and we are really happy to win.

We are really happy with the win. It was a long day of cricket on a really hot day, so to come away with a win made it a good day for the team and for the club as a whole.”

Whilst pleased with his side’s performance, Marles admitted it will still be a “big plus” to have Coetzee back in the side, hopefully for their home game with seventh-placed Slough this Saturday (11am).

l MARK Ennis, who was one of the umpires for the Finchampstead game on Saturday, and Finchampstead-based John Reed are both threatening to quit the Home Counties Premier League.

The two vastly-experienced match officials are in dispute with a fellow member of the league’s umpires panel with both making strong comments via social media.

Reed, who is chairman of the panel, claimed: “The game is riddled with petty officials who have limited potential but use their position to further their own careers, despite their own limited ability.

“A very sad day when my HCPL career disappears round the U-bend (after) 15 years guiding the panel through some very difficult times and over 200 games - all for nothing.”

Ennis, the education and development officer for the league’s match officials, added: “I say goodbye to HCPL with a heavy heart but knowing that everything I stand for is and was right.”

He posted that comment on Friday, but still stood at the following day’s game.

Their concerns, which have been simmering for several weeks, are understood to be with Steve Harris, the umpires’ appointments secretary.

Several players are supporting Ennis and Reed, which confirms their reputation as being among the most respected umpires in the HCPL.