SLOUGH CC were involved in the tightest of finishes on Saturday with their Home Counties League match at Harefield ending in a tie.

The hosts, who are already-relegated, made 205-8 off 40 overs but, after an interruption for rain, Slough's target was reduced to 185 by the Duckworth Lewis method.

But they finished on 184-7 off 36 overs, having needed five runs to win off the final ball.“It was frustrating,” admitted skipper Bobby Sher.

“I think you could say we were looking favourites to win the game. But you can't do anything about the weather.”

Slough remain fifth in the table with 234 points, 14 behind High Wycombe, the side immediately above them, and 18 short of Banbury in third.

It is still an improvement on last season, when they finished fifth in the final placings with 229 points.

After a delayed start due to rain, Slough struck early at Harefield with Nawaz Raja bowling Jack Shiel for just four.

But the hosts, who have yet to win a league game this year, recovered from that early blow with Dan Ogden and Scott Friend putting on 123 for the second wicket.

Friend fell for 62 off the bowling of Jahngir Zaman, who 15 runs later trapped Ogden lbw for 90.

Ali Raja was responsible for the departure of George Shiel for 22 and Dhavalkumar Norotam for 33 to finish with figures of 2-20, while Shahid Yousaf took 3-57 and Zaman 2-22.

Slough soon lost both openers – Waqas Hussain for 15 and Nabil Shah for 11 – leaving them 29-2. But Lloyd Paternott and Yousaf turned the game back in Slough's favour with scores of 71 and 49 respectively.

With their overs running out, the middle-order batsmen looked to push the score along, but lost wickets in the process.

They needed five to win off the final ball of the 36th over, but new batsman Nawaz Raja managed only four to leave the revised scores level at 184.

It was the first tied game seen in the league this season.

Slough, who have not lost a match since May 28, will be looking to delay Finchampstead's title celebrations in their final home fixture tomorrow, The leaders are 35 points clear of second-placed Henley with two games to go.

Burnham crashed to an eight-wicket defeat at home to Tring Park.

They made a shocking start, reeling from 23-3 to 69-5.

However, Raminder Singh came to their rescue in magnificent fashion, blasting 117 off 104 deliveries with three sixes and 15 fours.

He and Sulaiman Javed lifted the total to 148-6 before the latter was dismissed for 31.

Singh and skipper Harveer Gandham (24) added another 67, while Adnan Shabbir (27) and Muhammad Haroon (21no) shared a last-wickets stand of 47, taking Burnham to 267 all out, But, following rain, Tring's target was reduced to 228 by Duckworth Lewis and an outstanding knock of 125 by Aussie Ben Abbott saw them across the line in 36.5 overs.

The Aussie hit four sixes and 15 boundaries. He was bowled by Javed with the total on 212, having featured in a second-wicket stand of 153 with Charlie Macdonell, who finished unbeaten on 81, which came off 63 balls with two sixes and nine boundaries.

Burnham's last home fixture is tomorrow (Saturday) when they host already-relegated Harefield, who are still awaiting their first win of the season.

Gareth Harte struck a majestic century to help fourth-placed Datchet beat Gerrards Cross by 42 runs in Division Two.

Harte and fellow opener Tim Alldis put on 42 for the first wicket, but a middle-order collapse left the visitors in trouble as they crashed to 102-6.

However, Harte found an able ally in Tom Lambert (37), and eventually went on to finish on a wonderful 115 from 141 balls (12 4s, two 6s) as Datchet recovered to 227-8 in their 50 overs.

Lambert removed Alex Woodland early on, and although there were some useful contributions throughout the Gerrards Cross order, there was no substantial one as they were dismissed for 185.

Chris Peploe (3-34), Lambert (2-26), Sam Finn (2-28) and Callum Edgar (2-46) starred for Datchet, while opening bowler Ollie Smithson (1-18 off eight overs) was particularly frugal.

Datchet play their final home game against Thame Town on Saturday (11am).