BEACONSFIELD scraped a draw at Basingstoke as they began their defence of the Thames Valley title on Saturday.

The champions had no answer to 'Stoke's Lee Nurse who hammered 150 not out as the Hampshire men rattled up 249 for three off 46 overs.

Nurse, who has played for Derbyshire 2nds, struck five sixes and 18 fours in his 145-ball stay against Beaconsfield's highly rated five man attack.

The pick of the Beaconsfield bowlers was Miles Davis who picked up two wickets for 48 off his nine overs.

The champions did not find life much easier with the bat as they struggled to 204 for nine to take a share of the spoils.

Stewart Gilmour, promoted to opener, top-scored for Beaconsfield with 48 and Micky Farnon was just two runs behind on 46.

But wickets fell steadily and it was up to the last pair of Richard Burroughs and Miles Davis to play out the final five overs and clinch a draw.

High Wycombe, highly-fancied to challenge Beaconsfield for the title, also began disappointingly as they crashed to defeat at home to Ickenham.

They went from 110 for one at one stage to 181 for nine as Ickenham won with an over to spare.

It was a bitter blow to Wycombe, where confidence was high following their winter rebuilding which saw South African Test star Hilton Ackerman, ex-Leicestershire player Anatole Thomas and former Bucks skipper Tim Scriven join the club.

Ackerman could not be blamed though. He stepped off his plane at Heathrow Airport at 7am and then went on to top score for his new team-mates with 43. He was supported by new captain Jason Harrison who weighed in with 42.

But it all went pear-shaped after that with a horrible middle order collapse and had it now been for Hedley Wright's late 30 the score would have been embarrassing.

Marlow got their season underway with a draw at Wokingham. Marlow put the home side into bat and Wokingham looked set for a big score.

But their innings was kept in check by two timely wickets from Naeem Baig and Clive Smith whose four wickets brought Marlow back into the game as Wokingham declared on 241 for seven.

Marlow started promisingly with a 48 from Graham Fisher but the run rate rate slowed as wickets fell.

James Bovill's 36 and Stuart Peacock's 38, which gave him the Exeretec man of the match award made sure Marlow returned unbeaten.

In the second division, Gerrards Cross got their campaign underway with a home draw against Eversley.

Cross batted first and after losing an early wicket reached 108 for one through a second wicket stand of 85 between Chris Powell and James Kendall. They both fell in quick succession but were followed by Justin Hampshire (70) and Nigel Ward (45), who built a fourth wicket stand of 95 in 15 overs. Hampshire blasted his half century off 38 balls and Ed Montague's arrival enabled Cross to declare after 50 overs at 250 for four.

In reply Eversley raced into 150 for two but then lost the impetus.

Thames Valley League clubs wanting to be featured in Midweek should fax reports and scorecards by 10am on Mondays.

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