THE cricketers of Basingstoke and North Hants managed to draw a match they should have won on Saturday.

Star performances from South African paceman Charl Willoughby and opening batsmen Lee Nurse and Ian Maynard deserved better reward in the IC3 Home Counties League match at Slough.

Basingstoke skipper Nurse blamed his middle order batting for not responding to the challenge.

At tea, the visitors were poised to claim a first-ever victory over last season's league runners-up.

Set 244 for victory by Slough, they went into the final session with Nurse and Maynard sharing an unbroken partnership of 104 after 31 overs.

Although the asking rate had gone up from fractionally over four an over at the outset of the innings to nearer five an over, with all their wickets in hand and a pitch that favoured the batsmen, winning should have been easily achievable.

A flat, docile pitch meant the bowlers had to work hard throughout and the only thing that inhibited the batsmen were a very slow outfield and big boundaries on both sides of the wicket.

An opening partnership that laid a superb foundation was broken in the second over after tea when Nurse, at the non-striker's end, was sent back by Maynard, only to be run out for 47.

As so often happens, once the bowling side made a breakthrough the second partner's life was not long-lived.

Maynard, having reached his 50 before tea, spooned a slower ball from Slough captain Bobby Sher to give a simple catch at cover five overs after the dismissal of Nurse.

The left-handed Maynard had made an innings top score of 62 off 129 balls in 123 minutes. His innings included six boundaries.

At 121-2 and with more than 22 overs remaining, Basingstoke needed someone to inject some middle-order fire.

James Morris (24) and Scott Dyer (18) contributed 38 together in nine overs and then Dean Nurse (19) and Chris Froud (14) a much-more laboured 26.

By now the asking rate had gone up beyond eight an over and a chance of victory was slipping away.

Slough tightened their grip with an all-spin attack in the later stages with fielders crowding the bat and Basingstoke were forced to settle for a draw for the second year running at Upton Court Road.

Eighth wicket pair Jon Govett and wicket-keeper Nigel Williamson were the unparted batsmen at the end of Basingstoke's 60 overs as they fell 38 runs short.

Basingstoke started the day impressively. Dyer claimed the first Slough wicket with just one run on the scoreboard when he accepted a caught-and-bowled chance.

Then Willoughby took the first of his six wickets with 53 on the board.

Basingstoke lacked a front-line bowler because Govett was unable to perform with the ball because of injury.

That meant Willoughby was forced to bowl a marathon 20 overs, in which he conceded 70 runs for his six wickets. Morris and former club captain Keith Harris each bowled 15 overs, Morris ending the Slough innings with his only wicket.

Basingstoke made their task harder by twice dropping Slough's top scorer Sher. Daniel Leese and Dyer put down chances before Sher went on to make a match top score of 68.

Disappointed captain Nurse said: "I was without a front-line bowler but we let them get 20 more runs than I would have liked.

"We made a good start when we batted, but the middle order didn't get enough runs.

"Charl bowled well for his six wickets but it was the same scenario as last year here. We've drawn a match we should have won."

Next Saturday, Basingstoke will be seeking a first league win of the season when they entertain Henley. The following day, they open their Evening Standard Trophy campaign at Epsom.