Banbury entertain Home Counties Premier League champions Henley this Saturday. Luke Ryan’s outfit will be expecting their toughest test of the season after two more wins at the weekend. Banbury’s only defeat this season remains the 45 over National KO exit to Market Harbrough when they had 7 men on Oxfordshire duty.
They remain joint top of the table with Henley and High Wycombe, as all three sides have won three from three, after seeing off Harefield on Saturday. They also defeated rivals High Wycombe in the National T20 cup on Bank Holiday Monday.
Saturday’s success was spearheaded by Ollie Wright and Richard West as they dismissed Harefield for 118 and chased them for the loss of three wickets. Wright knocked the stuffing out of the top order, picking up three wickets – all bolwed. A wicket apiece for Liam Manley and Karl Penhale plus a Luke Ryan run out left Richard West to mop up the tail taking 4-16.
Despite losing Tim Paine and Lloyd Sabin early Banbury coasted to the target with West making 34* and Hugo Darby 37.
Darby was on scintillating form two days later as he smashed 104 from 70 balls as he helped Banbury to 183 vs High Wycombe. The visitors came close in reply, but three wickets each for Karl Penhale and Liam Manley saw the Buckinghamshire outfit fall 6 runs short.
Saturday scorecard: http://banbury.play-cricket.com/website/results/2330647
Monday Scorecard: http://banbury.play-cricket.com/website/results/2571995
Ash Blanchard returns to the squad for Saturday’s game after holiday.