DATCHET maintained their perfect winning start to the new season after a seven-wicket victory over Buckingham Town on Saturday, writes Rob Stevens.

Buckingham won the coin toss and elected to bat first at the Wally Gage Memorial Ground, reaching 159 runs all out from 47.1 overs.

Opening batsman Leigh Tomlinson top-scored with 48 runs from 99 balls with five boundaries, while Steven Brunning made 27 from 63. The pair put on 61 runs for the first wicket.

Robert Large, batting at number five, made 25 runs and added 53 with Tomlinson in a fourth wicket stand.

David Brent was the best of the

Datchet

bowlers with his figures of 3-22 from six overs, including the wicket of Large.

Captain Steven Naylor took the wickets of Tomlinson and Brunning in his 3-34 from 10 overs. The other wickets fell to Oliver Birts (2-25) and Chris Peploe (1-23).

The home side reached 163-3 from 37.3 overs in response for their third win in a row this season, which takes them to the top in Division One.

Opening batsman Naylor carried his bat through for an unbeaten 71 runs from 110 balls, with nine boundaries and one maximum hit.

James Morris, batting at number five, finished unbeaten with 44 from 83 balls and the pair put on 126 runs in an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership.

James Gear was the pick of the seven bowlers Buckingham used, with his figures of 2-27 from six overs.

Datchet travel to Tring Park this Saturday (11.30am). Their hosts recorded a first win this season when beating Aston Rowant last weekend.

Slough recorded a first win this season when beating Horspath by six runs at Upton Court Park on Saturday.

The home side won the toss and chose to bat first, reaching 242-9 from their allotted 50 overs.

Number four, Girinath Reddy Poreddy was the top scorer with 64 runs from 70 balls, with seven boundaries and one six.

Horspath managed 236 runs all out from 49.3 overs to suffer a second defeat in three matches this season.

Saif Zaib was the pick of the

Slough

bowlers with his figures of 3-19 from 10 overs.

Slough travel to defending champions Henley, who have a perfect winning record so far this season, on Saturday (11.30am)