BANBURY dropped to fourth in Division 1 of the Home Counties Premier League following a surprise four-wicket defeat at home to Slough, who claimed only their second win of the campaign.

After losing the toss, the hosts suffered an early blow when opener Hugo Darby was out hit wicket.

Kurtis Patterson and Craig Haupt dug in to get them back on track, putting on 62 for the second wicket.

Patterson top-scored with 46, but despite a succession of batsmen after him getting in, no-one was able to convert a solid start into a significant contribution.

Slough’s Steven Green (7-52) did most of the damage as the high-flying hosts finished on 185-8.

The target proved light work for the visitors, who took a grip of the match with a 110-run stand for the second wicket.

Banbury skipper Lloyd Sabin removed both Nabil Shah (73) and Waqas Hussain (50), but although five wickets fell for 34 runs, it was too late to change the course of the match, which was ended in the 33rd over of the reply.

A disastrous batting display proved costly for Great & Little Tew, who slipped to third bottom with a six-wicket defeat at Burnham.

The visitors actually chose to bat, but only opener Harrison Smith (33) offered lasting resistance.

He went through a succession of partners, with Dain Moreton, Joe White and Curtly Slatter departing without troubling the scorers.

Aside from Smith. only Jordan Garrett and the extras column reached double figures as Tew stumbled to 82 all out.

Burnham, who started the game below Tew, knocked off the runs by the 26th over.