Town hold off Wycombe for draw
Reported By Andrew Holland
Buckingham travelled to top of the table High Wycombe on Saturday, their hosts winning
the toss and opting to bat first.

Eliot Callis and Alexander Woodland opened the batting for Wycombe and made a fast
start. They put on 50 in the first 9 overs, forcing Buckingham to turn to spin early on.
The pair maintained a steady run rate after that, both passing 50 (Callis 56 balls,
Woodland 64 balls) as they took the score past 100. In the build-up to lunch
Buckingham pulled the rate back, bringing it down to about 5 an over, before skipper
Leigh Tomlinson brought himself on for the final over of the session and trapped Callis
lbw for 89 to break an opening stand of 152.
Wycombe captain Dan Marles joined Woodland after the break, and the pair maintained
a steady run rate following on from the morning session. Marles was the more dominant
of the pair, bringing up his own half-century (52 balls) as they put on 110. With the
score past 250 Wycombe began to accelerate the run rate. Marles was caught behind off
Shane Shillingford for 68 followed by Conrad Louth being bowled in his next over for 10,
but Woodland batted through to bring up a century from 167 balls. He finished 106 not
out as High Wycombe declared on 305 for 3 from 59 overs, leaving a minimum of 59
overs to bowl at Buckingham.
The Buckingham reply started badly as Cameron Parsons picked up two wickets in his
opening spell, reducing the visitors to 20 for 2 in the eleventh over. Tomlinson and Jack
Deal steadied the innings, taking minimal risks and putting safety first as the required
run rate grew rapidly. By tea they had reached 41 for 2 from 24 overs, leaving just two
results possible.
After tea, Connor Haddow struck early to remove Tomlinson for 24, and this was followed
up by a wicket for Tom Hampton and another for Haddow as they reduced Buckingham
to 73 for 5 with 24 overs of the match remaining, putting the hosts in the driving seat.
Deal was still at the crease, and was joined by Will Woodley who, after a watchful start,
began to score more fluently. Wycombe tried various bowling combinations but Deal
and Woodley looked more and more comfortable, batting for 18 of the remaining overs
and putting on a stand of 74. Deal brought up his second consecutive half century (118
balls) before a final burst from Hampton saw him caught behind for 51. In the next over
Parsons removed Adam Bone for a duck and the Wycombe mindset changed as they
needed three wickets with 29 balls remaining. Woodley (59 not out) stood firm though,
bringing up his own half-century (63 balls) and was supported by the experienced Steve
Beck as the pair saw Buckingham over the line to secure the draw.