Thame Town, who have been struggling for form of late, will be without paceman Luke Merry for their Division 2 West trip to leaders Beaconsfield.

Merry’s knee locked up as he got out of bed last Saturday and meant he missed Thame’s five-wicket defeat by Falkland.

A breakdown in communications led to Thame taking the field with only ten man.

“Luke’s damaged a cartilage and is unable to bowl, so we thought it sensible to give him a rest,” said Thame skipper Rob Brooks.

“We need two wins and Saturday’s a good time to start.”

Chris Jeffcock, a batsman, is added to the ten who played last week.

One player who excelled against Falkland was Sam Lachlan. He was promoted up the order and responded by carrying his bat through the whole innings.

Brooks is unconcerned by the normally reliable Manoj Parmar’s shortage of runs.

“Class will out and he’ll soon be scoring runs again.” said the skipper.

Aston Rowant, who stand one point off the lead, are involved in a crunch title clash when they visit third-placed Gerrards Cross.

Rowant make just one change from the side that trounced Reading by 113 runs – their sixth win of the campaign.

Seamer Paul Humphreys is on holiday and is replaced by Lee Lewis.

Rowant, who hammered Cross by ten wickets when the side’s met easrlier in the season, could make it two successive promotions, having come up from the Cherwell League last season.

“It would be fantastic, if we could go up to the Division 1,” said chairman Gary Condon.

“We realise it’s a big jump, but everybody wants the club to play at as high a standard as we possibly can.”

l Aston Rowant will be on Cricket AM on Sky Sports as the team of the week tomorrow morning.