Banbury showed the resilience of champions as they recovered from early disasters to earn a draw with Basingstoke in a rain-affected Home Counties Premier League Division 1 match at White Post Road on Saturday.

Banbury's Shahbaz Ali is in all sorts of trouble as he ends up being caught at slip for nought off this delivery from Basingstoke's Charl Willoughby

In a fluctuating contest, Banbury battled back from the depths of 40-6 to reach 144-6, and then had their opponents struggling at 128-8, when heavy rain drove the players off with just 17 balls remaining.

So what would have been a thrilling finish was ruined by the weather, which washed out the rest of the Division 1 programme.

After a delayed start, which reduced the match from 120 to 112 overs, Banbury were given first use of a green pitch which gave assistance to the seamers.

They made a steady start, but dramatically collapsed from 38-0 to 40-6 in the space of seven overs just before lunch against South African left-arm paceman Charl Willoughby, who ripped out four of Banbury's strong middle order for ducks.

Young Tim Smith, moved down the order after some poor form, then joined Mark Rorich, who had replaced him at No 3 and watched the disasters at the other end.

This pair batted heroically, adding an unbroken 104 for the seventh wicket in the 33 overs that remained.

They took Banbury to a competitive total, despite the attentions of Willoughby who finished with 5-39.

Further rain interruptions meant that Basingstoke had 44 overs, in which to get the runs. They, too, made a solid start before Neal Radford entered the fray, picking up 3-6 in 15 deliveries.

Dave Taylor then collected a couple of victims to leave the visitors struggling at 52-5, as the bowlers turned the screw, aided by some tight fielding.

Dean Nurse and Neil Williamson kept Basingstoke in the match with a stand of 31, while Williamson received useful support from the tail in their quest for runs as both sides went for the win.

But, with 18 required with 17 balls and two wickets left, the rain inevitably had the final say.

Perhaps, deservingly, neither side deserved to lose an intensely fought game.

BANBURY

A Sabin c Williamson b Willoughby...13

C Haupt c Hunter b Harris...14

M Rorich not out...58

S Ali c Williamson b Willoughby...0

M Barratt b Willoughby...0

D Taylor c Hunter b Willoughby...0

N Radford b Willoughby...0

T Smith not out...42

Extras...17

Total (6 wkts)...144

Fall: 1-38, 2-38, 3-38, 4-40, 5-40, 6-40.

Bowling: Willoughby 22-12-39-5, Chandler 13-4-28-0, Harris 21-6-67-1.

BASINGSTOKE

I Maynard c Barratt b Radford...19

L Nurse c Megson b Radford...15

R Hunter c Megson b Taylor...1

R Rawlings lbw Radford...1

D Nurse b Radford...114

R Droy lbw Taylor...3

N Williamson not out...31

D Leese c Barratt b Radford...4

K Harris b Taylor...6

C Chandler not out...10

Extras...23

Total (8 wkts)...127

Fall: 1-27, 2-41, 3-43, 4-49, 5-52, 6-83, 7-89, 8-109.

Bowling: Rorich 4-0-9-0, Adams 4-1-10-0, Taylor 12.1-2-42-3, Radford 15-4-36-5, Hill 2-0-4-0, Haupt 4-0-16-0.

*Banbury 12 pts, Basingstoke 6

*Bicester and North Oxford's Division 1 match at Slough, and the Division 2 West contest between Oxford and Tring Park were both abandoned without a ball being bowled.