Not for the first time this season, the rain cut short a match that was set up for a good finish, as second-placed Banbury took on fourth-placed Basingstoke on Saturday.

Having been inserted, the home side lost a wicket without a run on the board, but Andy Giles and Russ Hunter then added 110 for the second wicket.

Banbury turned to spinners Paul Hill and Jimmy Phillips to tie the batsmen down and force them into errors.

This worked up to a point as they collected a brace of wickets each, but with wickets in hand, Basingstoke hit out in the closing overs. Steve Dyer was particularly severe, with seven sixes in his unbeaten 41 from 24 balls, as the last ten overs produced 74 runs, propelling the home side to 263-6.

In the absence of Craig Haupt, Banbury promoted the hard-hitting Dave Taylor to open the innings, a move that saw the 50 come up at a run-a-ball.

When rain eventually forced the players off at 4pm, Taylor was on 43 from just 18 balls, with eight fours.

Banbury were 73-0 with a further 181 needed from 43 overs, but rain had the final say.

BASINGSTOKE & NH

R Droy c Ali b Radford...0

A Giles b Hill...36

R Hunter lbw Phillips...55

L Nurse st Megson b Phillips...17

D Nurse b Radford...35

S Dyer not out...41

R Pavesi st Megson b Hill...10

J Govett not out...8

Extras...11

Total (6 wkts, 66 ov)...263

Fall: 1-0, 2-110, 3-150, 4-202, 5-204, 6-240.

Bowling: Radford 18-6-66-2, Adams 9-3-21-0, Taylor 6-0-29-0, Ali 4-0-18-0, Hill 18-1-77-2, Phillips 11-1-45-2.

BANBURY

A Sabin not out...25

D Taylor not out...43

Extras...5

Total (no wkt, 11 ov)...73

Bowling: Willoughby 6-0-33-0, Chandler 4-0-27-0, Pavesi 1-0-9-0.

*Basingstoke 6 pts, Banbury 6