DAN MARLES says it is a “massive honour” to be the first Finchampstead captain since 2001 to win the Home Counties Premier League title, but insists there is still room for improvement.
Finches clinched glory in style with a 56-run win over Slough, having produced their highest batting score of the season in the first innings.
Andy House led the charge with a remarkable 228 off 148 balls as Finch reached 352-7 from their 50 overs.
Having collected five batting points, the hosts knew just one wicket was needed to seal the title and it arrived with 22 Slough runs on the board when star man Jandre Coetzee clean bowled Nabil Shah.
From there Finches eventually closed out the win with Andy Rishton (4-70) the pick of the bowlers.
“It did take a few days to sink in,” Marles admitted to The Wokingham Paper.
“It’s still a bit surreal, the kind of achievement we’ve done and how we’ve done it, but it’s an amazing feeling.
“It’s a massive honour for me.
“I’ve been at the club for 10 years, played for every side, the 5s, 4s, 3s, 2s and 1s and eventually captained the side so I’m really proud.
“It’s just an amazing achievement from where we’ve come from three or four years ago.”
After losing the toss and being put in to bat, Finch made a solid start as House set out his stall early.
For a player who may well have not even been in the side were skipper Marles not nursing a shoulder injury, the opener took to the task with ease, putting on a partnership of 47 with Dan Lincoln before the latter fell for 12.
Adam Dewes followed immediately for a golden duck but it was the double-act of House and Jones which set up the contest.
Stand-in captain Jones carved out 54 to help push the score from 47-2 to 202-3. House continued to go from strength to strength, eventually reaching 228 from 148 deliveries, including a phenomenal 29 4s and eight 6s.
Coetzee’s wicket sealed the title in reply and after a sluggish bowling innings, Slough were eventually dismissed in the 48th over with Max Stevenson’s three wickets adding to Rishton’s four-fer.
“Andy House gets all the accolades,” said Marles.
“He was a joke.
“It was ridiculous how good he was on Saturday and it’s one of those performances you’ll look back on in years to come.
“He got to 100 and we were all really happy for him.
“He’s been in between the 2s and 1s all year so to get 100 was amazing and then he just kicked on.
“We kept looking up and he was on 130, 150, 180. It was getting ridiculous.
“Everything seemed to go his way and then 228 is a serious, serious effort.”
He added: “He’s been on the fringe and he really showed us what he can do.
“That’s amazing to see and that puts him in good stead for next year.
“Then we only needed one wicket to win the league and JC (Coetzee) got it, which is quite fitting as well.”
And Marles could pinpoint the moments in which he felt the title could be coming back to Finchampstead.
“I think after winning at Henley away,” he said.
“That was about mid-season and that was our third or fourth win in a row.
“You start thinking that’s a serious achievement because we’d struggled against Henley in the past and they’re obviously a top, top side.
“That was when we started believing, only slightly, and then every week it’s got a bit more.
“We felt like we’d won the league when we beat Henley again so they were the two games you look at and go, they were massive wins.”
Despite the storming success, Marles is still targeting areas where his side can improve in the next campaign.
“It’s funny really this year because I know we’ve gone and won the league and it’s a top, top team,” said Marles.
“But there’s still things we haven’t done that we should’ve done better.
“Things like Andy Rishton, who hasn’t even had a bowl this year until Saturday.
“We haven’t really done that well batting this year if we’re really honest, it’s been about the bowling.
“So it was nice for a batsman to go and win us the game.”
Champions Finchampstead wrap up their season against already relegated Harefield tomorrow.
FINCHAMPSTEAD v Harefield: Jones (c), Kang (wk), Carter, Coetzee, Uttley, Stevenson, Rogers, Rishton, House, Lincoln, A. Dewes.
