Double date with destiny

HIGH WYCOMBE face a double date with destiny at Beaconsfield this weekend with league and Bucks Cup glory up for grabs.

The double-chasers need to beat the hosts in their final league game tomorrow and hope leaders Banbury lose to have any chance of winning the inaugural Home Counties Championship.

Then, 24 hours later, Wycombe will have to either pick themselves up from their disappointment or shake off their victory hangovers as they return to Beaconsfield again to take on Farnham Royal in the first-ever Bucks Cup final.

Chairman Richard Morgan said: 'Whatever happens this weekend we will have had a fantastic season.'

It is ironic that for the second year running the title has come down to the final day - with Wycombe, once again, needing to beat Beaconsfield.

Last year, they did that to win the Thames Valley title, but this year they are also relying on Banbury to slip up at home to Basingstoke.

Morgan said: 'It's out of our hands this year. We're 11 points behind Banbury and if they win their match it doesn't matter what we do. The pressure is all on them and we are feeling quite relaxed about it.'

Banbury put themselves firmly in the driving seat when they claimed a draw in last Saturday's big head-to-head with Wycombe.

They took a point more than Wycombe from the drawn clash and now stand 11 points clear at the top.

Morgan said: 'It was disappointing not to beat them last week but Banbury are a good side and we didn't make the most of our chances.'

Last Saturday's clash see-sawed one way and then the other before finishing in a draw which suited both.

Earlier, it had looked as though it could be Wycombe's day when they had early success with the ball, restricting Banbury to 90 for four at lunch.

Haupt (45) was dismissed soon after the break to leave the score on 104 for five. But as Wycombe sensed a much-needed win Radford (30) and Taylor (68) dug in to put the visitors in the driving seat, helped by Megson's 26 off the final five overs.

Tim Scriven was the pick of the Wycombe bowlers, returning figures of five for 50, but the rest of the Wycombe bowlers failed to back him up and conceded too many runs.

With two interruptions for rain, Wycombe were left with just 50 overs to bash the 239 they needed to win.

The innings started badly with both Atkins and Eyles out cheaply.

Harrison (25) and Benning (53) got Wycombe back on track, but both were out within a few overs of each other and when Paul Sawyer was out first ball, Wycombe found themselves at 110 for five from 33 overs.

Needing a further 129 from 17 overs, Wycombe settled for a draw.

Banbury took a further two wickets, but never threatened to win the game.

Beaconsfield stayed third with their victory over Bletchley but they are too far behind to win the league.

Beaconsfield won last week after scoring 149 for five in response to Bletchley's total of 145 for nine.