HIGH Wycombe kept their title hopes alive by clinging on for a draw in their match at Slough, but the result meant they dropped down to third in the Home Counties Premier Division table.

Leaders Henley also drew, but the main beneficiaries of the weekend were Banbury, who leapfrogged Wycombe into second place with a win over Burnham.

It means the top three are separated by just six points with four matches to play, including High Wycombe’s trip to Henley on the final day.

Wycombe faced an uphill battle when the hosts – the only side to beat them this term – set them an imposing total of 308 for eight to chase.

Wycombe never looked like overhauling that, with James Benning their top scorer with 46, with Nathan Hawkes 34 and number seven bat Cameron Parsons hanging around for a vital 33.

But it was down to the last pairing of Kyle Simmonds and Jonathan Burden to keep the bowlers at bay for the final one and a half overs as Wycombe hung on in there to force a draw at 201 for nine from 60 overs and secure nine vital championship points.

Their relief at getting back into the pavilion unscathed was then topped by the news that leaders Henley had slipped up at lowly Harefield and only managed to emerge with one point more.

Harefield won the toss and chose to bat first, compiling 243 for nine off 64 overs. It was then nip and tuck as Henley gave chase finishing the day on 238 for nine from 56 overs to claim ten points from the encounter.