A weekend to savour for Banbury CC

Having maintained their good form in Division One of the Home Counties Premier League with a superb 10-wicket demolition of Oxford on Saturday, Banbury then made their way to Finedon Dolben for the ECB T20 Area Finals.

Their first game on Sunday saw them up against hosts Finedon with the winners then going on to play Sileby Town in the final.

Banbury dismissed the hosts for 111 in the final over with Charles Hill (3-29) being the pick of the bowlers while Oliver Wright, David Eaton and Kieran Coyne all took two wickets apiece.

It wasn’t always straightforward in the reply as Banbury were reduced to 35-5 at one stage.

But a 60-run partnership between star man Hill (37no) and Alistair Short (36) set things up before they got over the line on 112-6 in the 17th over.

The final itself proved to be a lot more straightforward.

Joe Thomas was the hero with the ball this time as he returned superb figures of 4-0-21-5 as Sileby were skittled out for 100 in the 19th over.

And Banbury made short work of the run chase as Waqas Hussain cracked seven fours and seven sixes in his 77 not out from just 30 balls while Lloyd Sabin was unbeaten on 24 to get them to 102-1 in just the ninth over.

The stunning success means Banbury will now head to Basingstoke CC to take on Bradninch CC in the South Regional T20 semi-final (1pm) on Sunday, August 28.

The other semi-final sees Bexley CC taking on Hornchurch CC.

Earlier in the weekend, Banbury maintained third spot in Division One of the Home Counties Premier League with a fine win over Oxford.

Thomas was, again, the star with the ball as he claimed figures of 16-3-37-5 to help bowl Oxford out for 197.

And the opening pair of Sabin and Richard Simpson then, incredibly, took care of the chase.

Simpson finished unbeaten on 109 with captain Sabin on 87 not out as they took their team to a 10-wicket success on 201-0 in the 36th over.