CCS Home Counties League Division 2 West: Thame lost ground on leaders Tring when they had the worse end of a draw in Saturday's top-of-the table clash.

Tring picked up 14 points to their opponents' six, to extend their lead to 12.

Asked to bat first in overcast conditions, Tring rattled up 259-4 from their 60 overs.

At lunch they were 108-3 from 35 overs, following a third-wicket partnership of 54 between Matt Bowyer and Tom Brooks, who was out just before the interval.

Bowyer completed his 50 immediately after lunch, and he and pro Umar Abrahams moved Tring past 150, when Bowyer fell for 75.

Abrahams then took control and Partik Mehta was blasted out of the attack with three successive leg-side sixes.

In the final over of the innings, Abrahams bludgeoned a tiring Steve Merry for two more sixes to finish on 95 not out

Such a score was always difficult for Thame to chase in 50 overs, with the light poor and drizzle in the air.

Manoj Parmar and James Cook put on 39, before Parmar and Adam Krol fell in quick succession

Cook and Andy Wynd took the score to 74 off 23 overs, when both fell just before tea with the score on 74.

The game slipped further away from Thame when, at 99, skipper Rob Brooks departed lbw.

But Mehta and Chris Wynd took the score to 143 as Wynd plundered boundaries, including a towering six.

When he was caught in the deep for a fluent 43, Thame were on 143-6

Luke Merry joined Mehta and continued to attack as the skies darkened.

Merry hit two fours and six before mistiming a hook and was caught off from the bowling of Tom Brooks for 24.

But by then Thame were safe, and Mehta guided them to 199-7 by the close.

TRING PARK

M Bowyer lbw Mehta...75

J Steptoe c A Wynd b Lachlan...1

A Pusey run out...12

T Brooks c Wynd b Mehta...22

U Abrahams not out...95

L Brooks not out...30

Extras...24

Total (4 wkts, 60 ovs)...259

Bowling: L Merry 5-0-25-0, Lachlan 13-4-31-1, Mehta 24-5-100-2, S Merry 18-0-90-0.

THAME

J Cook c Avery b Steptoe...38

M Parmar lbw T Brooks...16

A Krol b T Brooks...4

A Wynd c Packard b Taylor...5

C Wynd c Avery b Taylor...43

R Brooks lbw Taylor...13

P Mehta not out...38

L Merry c Steptoe b T Brooks...24

S Lachlan not out...0

Extras...18

Total (7 wkts, 53 ovs)...199

Bowling: Stanway 13-5-26-0, T Brooks 14-2-75-3, Taylor 15-3-49-3, Steptoe 6-2-18-1, Packard 3-1-17-0, Abrahams 2-1-7-0.

Tring Park 14pts, Thame 6