DANNY Housego continued his fine recent run by smashing the second highest score in the Home Counties League this season in Reading"s dominant draw with Finchampstead.

Opener Housego batted through the innings for a magnificent unbeaten 152 from 180 balls to force local rivals Finch onto the back foot, from where they were happy to play for a draw.

And Reading skipper David Barr was quick to pay tribute to a flying start to the season from the 20-year-old.

Housego - who is also on the books at Middlesex and played in their opening Twenty20 Cup match against Surrey - is the highest run scorer in Two West after four games, with 242 runs at an average of just over 80.

And Barr said: 'I was pretty pleased with the performance overall and obviously Danny Housego played an outstanding innings.

'He has been in good form recently, but this time he kicked on, really applied himself and accelerated nicely towards the end.

'He has got a good technique and concentration and showed that off on Saturday.

'He was in and out of our side a bit last year because he was often called up to the Middlesex squad for the Twenty20 because he is such a good fielder.

'Obviously we know that Middlesex will come first in those situations but he ended up as 12th man on a few occasions.

'But he has played more regularly for us so far this year and we are really seeing the benefit.'

But Barr admitted it could have been a different story had it not been for a superb gesture of sportsmanship by Finch captain Russell Lane early in Housego"s innings.

The opener was given run out on 40, only to be recalled to the crease by Lane, who had spotted that keeper Mark Shepherd had broken the wicket before having control of the ball.

And Barr added: 'It was an excellent gesture from Finch. Their keeper broke the wicket before he had caught the ball, but the umpire"s view was blocked and he gave him out.

'But Russell had seen what happened and called him back, which was a great thing to do.'

Reading went into their clash with their local rivals at Sonning Lane in confident mood on the back of two wins the previous weekend.

But after electing to bat first, Neil Saker, Tom Fray and Shelvin Gumbs were all dismissed cheaply to leave the hosts wobbling at 54-3.

But Housego and Barr then came together to put on a patient 116 for the fourth wicket before the captain was dismissed for 34.

But they pair had set a good platform for the players to go for their shots in the later overs and Housego and Sukhi Kang (23no) duly put on a quickfire 86 as Reading closed on 256-4.

In reply, Saker (3-56) and Jamie Hoddle (1-39) quickly reduced Finch to 11-3 and, with runs not easy to come by on a surface lacking pace, the visitors opted for a safety first approach.

Matt Jones (62), Lane (32), Sam Taylor (33) and Darron Augustus (34no) all put in good displays as Finch saw out the overs on 176-7.

It was another solid all round performance from Reading and a contented Barr explained: 'I thought a score of 250 was a decent one, and we bowled well, but just could not force the win.

'There"s a need to get a winning mindset into the players and I"ve always thought it was important to be patient this season.

'But things seem to be moving in the right direction - and not just for us. The seconds have started their season really well which is vital if we want to achieve our aim of having strength right through the club.

'Obviously there is still a way to go though.'

Reading travel to the inconsistent Thame Town this weekend, who followed up a thrashing of Falkland with a 145-run defeat at the hands of Beaconsfield last weekend.

And Barr admitted: 'I don"t know a great deal about them - the last time we played them was in the Knockout Cup a couple of years ago.

'It"s proving to be a league where all the teams can beat each other, so you never know what is going to happen. And you are ceratinly never out of the running in leagues like that.'