Wright and Rana make vital stand as Banbury get off to winning start

Banbury got off to a winning start on the opening day of the Home Counties Premier Cricket League campaign.
Shazad Rana produced a crucial innings for Banbury against High WycombeShazad Rana produced a crucial innings for Banbury against High Wycombe
Shazad Rana produced a crucial innings for Banbury against High Wycombe

But Lloyd Sabin’s side only secured the 57-run victory through the Duckworth Lewis method after rain curtailed High Wycombe’s reply in Saturday’s division one fixture at White Post Road.

Wycombe captain Dan Marles inserted Banbury and saw his side soon made inroads into the hosts’ opening order as they reduced them to 6-3 with openers Joe White and Sabin sent back to pavilion without scoring. Ollie Clarke only managed to score five runs before he departed.

That became 25-4 when Charlie Hill soon followed before Shahid Yousaf and George Tait briefly stemmed the flow of wickets before more tumbled to leave Banbury on 57-7. But Ollie Wright and Shazad Rana saved the day with an eighth wicket stand of 63.

Wright made 28 from 35 balls including a four and a six before he departed while Rana remained unbeaten on 37 runs as Banbury were dismissed in the final over for 134 runs.

In their reply, Wycombe were reduced to 25-3 with new signing Joe Thomas accounting for both openers Elliot Callis and Conrad Louth. Wickets continued to fall with the visitors reaching 58-5 before the teams were called off.

Chasing a revived target of 123 from 41 overs because of the interruption, George Russell and Cameron Parsons didn’t get much chance to extend their partnership when the rain fell. The umpires called a halt to proceedings with the visitors on 65-5 from 28 overs, Thomas and Richard West picked up a couple of wickets apiece.