DAN MARLES hopes Finchampstead can begin to put a difficult start to the season behind them after a thrilling two-wicket win over Henley.
Reigning Home Counties Premier League champions Finch went into Saturday’s clash at Brakspear Ground with three defeats from three having struggled with availability and discipline issues during the early weeks of the campaign.
That included skipper Marles, who has now been forced to miss the last three games after being suspended for ‘failing to control his players’ during defeat at Tring Park.
It was looking like a fourth defeat on the spin was on the cards as Henley charged to 207-1, only to spectacularly collapse to 237 all out as Max Uttley picked up four wickets.
And the chase went right to the wire with Dan Lincoln (61) and Billy Rogers (44) top scoring before stand-in captain Gary Loveday powered Finch across the winning line with three balls to spare.
“Hopefully this is a massive turning point in our season,” Marles told The Wokingham Paper.
“With the availability and obviously what’s gone on recently, it’s always going to be a hard game.
“But some players from the 2s really helped us out on Saturday. It shows that we have got that squad depth and we can get wins when we’re not supposed to really.”
He added: “We’ve got to use it as a stepping stone to go forwards.
“What’s happened in the last three or four weeks hasn’t been good enough from us and we needed to improve massively.
“Hopefully get one or two wins out of the next three or four games then we can really kick-start this season and hopefully get up that table a bit further.
“It’s a really good chance to put what’s happened behind us, be positive and go forward.”
It was certainly a daunting looking task during the first innings at Henley.
The hosts won the toss and opted to bat, a decision which looked like the perfect choice as openers Michael Roberts and Matthew Rowe seemed unstoppable.
Rowe eventually fell for 53 off the bowling of Rogers and even when Roberts was caught from an Uttley delivery after making 120, Henley could not have wished to be in better shape at 208-2.
However, Euan Woods immediately fell for a golden duck and the innings unravelled with Berkshire’s Richard Morris (28) the only other man to reach double figures as the order was demolished, bowled out for 237.
Finches started reasonably well in reply at 150-2, but three quick wickets left the game in the balance, including those of top scorers Lincoln and Rogers.
But veteran Loveday settled the side down and it was his six which clinched victory in the final over.
“I thought Henley were going to get 350 minimum which would’ve been a massive chase,” said Marles.
“But the boys showed so much character on Saturday to bring that back.
“It was a bit like last year, when we get a few wickets we kept applying the pressure.
“I thought the spinners were excellent. They forced some bad shots and we capitalised.”
He added: “If you look back at the three previous games, I think where we’ve got two or three wickets, we’ve got very complacent and expect things to happen.
“This week when we didn’t get any early wickets, you think who is going to step up and I thought Max Uttley did really well.
“Jandre Coetzee is a fantastic cricketer, but it is nice when a few of the homegrown youth lads, who have come through the system, go and do it against probably the best team in the league.
“It’s very satisfying.”
Finch could not repeat the trick on Monday as they lost in the quarter-finals of the T20 Cup by 132 runs against High Wycombe.
Chasing 214 for victory, the visitors were bowled out for 81 with only two men in Rogers and Ed Oliver reaching double figures.
Finchampstead face Great and Little Tew in the league on Saturday.
FINCHAMPSTEAD batting: House 3, Smith 28, Rogers 44, D. Lincoln 61, J. Lincoln 2, Loveday 38no, Coetzee 25, Carter 9, Augustus 5, Lazenbury 7no, Uttley dnb.
Bowling: Coetzee 0-60, Carter 2-32, Uttley 4-46, Rogers 1-41, J. Lincoln 2-34, Augustus 0-21.
