It's now or never for Sher's Slough

In what has been a difficult season for relegation-threatened Slough CC in the Homes Counties Premier League Division 1, the Upton Court Park team are still in control of their own destiny heading into the final match tomorrow (Saturday).

The maths is very simple.

If they beat already-doomed Falkland they will stay up. Any other result will give rivals Reading, who face a tough clash with Tring Park, the chance to overtake them and avoid the drop to Division 2 (West).

On paper, Slough have the more straightforward encounter. Falkland have won just once this season and are already coming to terms with relegation.

Reading, who are 12 points behind Slough, are at Tring Park, who themselves still have an outside chance of claiming the title and so will be in no mood to do their Berkshire visitors any favours.

This is certainly something that Slough skipper and all-rounder Bobby Sher will be holding on to, as he is happy to admit.

He said: “I would rather be in our position than Reading’s - make no mistake about that.

“It won’t be easy at Falkland, but it is a match we can win, which is the result we need. For Reading, Tring won’t be easy. I’m sure we’ll be OK, but you never know.”

Slough played Tring on Saturday and went down by 20 runs, but there were positives to  be taken from the setback.

Sher said: “It was a  decent performance, and in the end the only difference was the fact that they batted all their 66 overs.

“We had 12 fewer overs to get the runs and were eventually all out with an over remaining.

“Things didn’t go our way, but that has been the story of our season.”

Tom Burrows makes a return to the Slough ranks for tomorrow’s do-or-die clash, but Sher is already thinking further ahead to next season’s campaign.

He said: “There will be changes next season. We already have a few players interested in joining.

“Things need to change. The club is, of course, not used to being in a relegation position, they expect to be in the top three.

“We lost a lot of experienced players at the start of the season, who left because of many other reasons, and we were unable to replace them.

“Experience is very important at this level, and although some of our younger players have done well, it’s not the same.

“We will be looking to bring in some experienced players.”

He added: “However, whatever happens this season, the players have learned a lot and it should make them better players.

“I just hope we are still in Division 1 next year.”