Scorecard

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1st X1 - Sunday v Falkland on Sun 13 Jun 2010 at 2pm
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Lost by 4 runs

Match report Thatcham Town lost out by the narrowest of margins, going down by just four runs to local rivals Falkland on Sunday at Brownsfield.

Having their first league outing of the season, off the field skipper Dave Harrison won the toss and asked his batsmen to get his team off the best possible start. Openers Ben and Philip Piper made light work of the Thatcham attach as Tristan Allen and Matt Taylor found work hard going on a very flat pitch. John Williams and Chris Bird came in to the attack and with almost immediate effect Williams had Philip Piper stumped for a well accumulated 41. This bought the third of the Piper trilogy to the crease, who with his brother continued in a positive fashion. Both passed fifty in good time and something special was required to break a developing partnership. Allen provided the goods, running out Ben Piper for 54 with an excellent piece of fielding from long off.

On the field captain Andy Townsend came the crease and began in a very positive fashion. On debut Sam Rodway was given the tough ask of bowling the last six overs but didn’t disappoint keeping his head and a very tight line. His efforts were rewarded as firstly Piper (62) chipped a catch to Paul Jenkins followed soon after by Gilmour (7) lobbing the simplest of chances to Danny Williams. By now the Falkland innings was starting to slow despite the best efforts of Townsend and Dave Bloor. Tristan Allen returned to the attack showing very good pace control and was duly rewarded bowling Townsend off the last ball for 27. Allen finishing with figures of 1-47 from nine overs, Williams 1-42 but Rodway stuck out with 2-37 from his six overs. Bird and Taylor were unlucky not to add to the wickets column but not through lack of effort. For the second time in the weekend 211 was the score to beat.

Thatcham’s reply started in a positive but watchful fashion as Saturday openers Simon Rider and Danny Williams pounced on anything short. Rider became the first of Joel Martin’s three wickets bowling him for nine. Josh Winfield and Jack Young couldn’t repeat their batting feats of the previous week as both were removed for 0 again by Martin. At 33-3 a recovery was required by Jenkins and Williams but sadly it didn’t come as Pete Stephenson had Jenkins caught cutting for a run a ball 13. Steve Bartholomew joined Williams and showed a better resolve playing a watchful but positive innings. Williams’ return to form was cut short by youngster Sam Trumper who got one to lift from a length and find the edge. With the catch taken behind Williams was on his way for 42.

Chris Bird was the next to move Thatcham’s run rate on, and with Bartholomew increased the scoring rate to beyond seven an over. Things were starting to look on the up for Thatcham until Trumper got another one to lift from a length and catch Bartholomew under the chin. With a bit of claret on show Bartholomew was forced from the field to clean up, bringing Allen to the crease. Falkland sensed a fight back and did just that firstly removing Allen for seven followed by Rodway for five. Bartholomew rejoined Bird but the momentum was gone as he went first ball back for 35 caught by Martin at cover from the bowling of Gilmour. Bird continued his solo assault of the Falkland attack passing 50 with a towering straight six off Stephenson. With eight required from the last over and two wickets in hand an unlucky victory looked in sight. With two coming from the first ball Bird looked in complete control however Stephenson kept his cool as two balls later he had Bird stumped for an excellent 66. John Williams attempted to steal the win but with only two runs coming from the last three balls Falkland had just about managed to hold on to the win with Martin (3-27), Stephenson (3-47) and Gilmour (2-25) the main aggressors for Falkland.

An all round entertaining fixture that unfortunately didn’t fall the way of Thatcham but several individual performances shall give encouragement for the rest of the season.

Falkland Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 5 wickets
0
211 (0.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1st X1 - Sunday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Tristan Allen9.0047147.005.22
Matt Taylor9.004600.005.11
Chris Bird9.003400.003.78
John Williams9.0242142.004.67
Sam Rodway6.0037218.506.17

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1st X1 - Sunday Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 9 wickets
0
207		        
Simon Rider Bowled  9
Danny Williams Caught  42 1
Josh Winfield Caught  0
Jack Young Bowled  0
Paul Jenkins Caught  13 1
Steve Bartholomew Caught  35 1
Chris Bird Stumped  66
Tristan Allen Caught  7
Sam Rodway Stumped  5
Matt Taylor Not Out  1
John Williams Not Out  2

Falkland Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
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