Scorecard

Chesham v Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday on Sat 23 Jul 2005 at 1.30pm
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Lost 6 wickets

Match report Thatcham travelled to Chesham on Saturday and were beaten in the last over as Hungerford old boy Robbie Maier had a say with both bat and ball to condemn some of his old colleagues to their first defeat since early June.

Chesham skipper Steve Ayres won the toss and invited the visitors to bat and Brad Ediriweera and James Ettridge made the perfect start with a tidy 53 opening partnership against the Chesham new ball attack of Maier and Clifford inside the opening 11 overs.
Maier then struck though, luring Ettridge into a rather flat footed drive outside the off stick and he was caught at point for 20. One bought two and in Maier’s next over he took out the prize scalp of Ediriweera, caught behind for 25. New batsmen Neil Rider and Duncan Johnson then tried to steady things, but Rider attempted a pull shot off Clifford from a ball not quite short enough and was bowled for 2 and such a promising start was now 60-3 through 15 overs. Clifford was removed and Kenyan one day player Hitesh Modi was introduced to the attack with his right arm off spin. Immediately dropping onto a good spot, he frustrated both Johnson and Stephen Bird, and it was Bird who snapped, caught by Sharma, at deep cover, for 8. Matt Denness joined his skipper, both well used to repairing the innings and things were going well as they put on 20 and got the visitors upto 118 until Johnson was caught and bowled by Modi for a patient 39. Thatcham’s mid to lower order then got in the runs with Chris Wright adding 46 with Denness, including 3 towering 6’s, before he mis-timed Modi to Rance at long off and went for 28. Denness was still there, as entertaining as ever, producing shots all round the wicket and was on 41 when he too became a caught and bowled victim of Modi as he skied an attempted slog sweep and departed for a fine 41. Robb Fraser hit a quickfire 16 before becoming Modi’s 5th wicket of the afternoon and it was left to some fine hitting from Nick Bishop with good support from Pete Edgcombe to life the Thatcham total up over the 200 mark to a final total after 52 overs of 212-8. It was a disappointing score given the start and Thatcham will look at the fact that only 57 runs were added in mid-innings from 20 overs through to 40 overs as Modi was allowed to bowl at the batsmen and frustrate with left arm spinner Porter operating in tandem also drying up the runs, but the field was set well and credit must go to Chesham skipper Ayres also. Modi picked up 5-61 from 18 overs, with Maier claiming 2 early wickets for 65.

Seeing both Modi and Porter spin the ball and with a little uneven bounce, Thatcham opened up with the old ball and Duncan Johnson and Chris Bird tried to create some pressure on Maier and Saunders. Maier though was intent on going for his shots and let neither bowler settle and changes were made in the attempt to get a breakthrough. The new ball was taken 14 overs in and still Maier was punishing anything loose, playing some fine strokes and also finding his share of gaps as well as Ediriweera and Pete Edgcombe probed away. It was Ediriweera who finally got the visitors a wicket as he bowled Saunders with a beautiful yorker for 25, Chesham 107-1 from 22 overs. Changes were thick and fast as Neil Rider’s leg spin was introduced with Nick Bishop in tandem hoping to tie one end down while Rider operated from the other. Rider struck in his 3rd over and it was the wicket Thatcham needed, Maier cutting to Pete Edgcombe at point and he was gone for a fine 84. He had done his job though and Chesham were well up with the rate, 140-2 from 30 overs. The visitors though sensed they could make something happen and Bishop and Rider pegged the home side back increasing the rate and the pressure and it soon told on Rance who was beautifully caught by Stephen Bird behind the stumps for 20. It was now up to Modi and wicketkeeper Nick Turpill, but Bishop was in the groove and Modi went for one shot too many and he was comfortably caught by Robb Fraser on long-on for 27, Chesham now 191-4 through 43 overs, needing a further 23 runs from the final 5 overs of the game. Chris Bird bowled a 44th over maiden and Bishop conceded 6 off the 45th, an agonising 4 byes just missing the stumps and evading everybody. Bird again though proved what an excellent ‘death’ bowler he is though with just 4 runs from the 46th and Chesham were now 201-4, needing 12 off two overs. Turpill though took the game by the scruff of the neck and effectively ended matters as he hit Bishop’s 47th over for 11 runs, including 2 boundaries, leaving Bird with 6 balls to bowl and the scores level. Turpill chipped over the in-field for the run required and he was unbeaten on 31 at the close and played a fine innings. It was a good fightback from Thatcham who made the home side work hard for their 20 point victory with all 6 bowlers enjoying some good spells in patches, although Nick Bishop 2-45 and Neil Rider 1-28 played a huge role in getting their side back in the game and close to a drawn finish.

Thatcham entertain bottom placed Windsor at Brownsfield next Saturday and will hope to return to winning ways.

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 8 wickets
0
212		        
Bradman Ediriweera Caught  25
James Ettridge Caught  2
Neil Rider Bowled  2
Duncan Johnson Caught  39
Stephen Bird Caught  8 1
Matthew Denness Caught  41
Chris Wright Caught  28
Robb Fraser Bowled  16 1
Nick Bishop Not Out  13
Peter Edgcombe Not Out  6 1
Chris Bird  

Chesham Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Chesham Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 4 wickets
0
213 (0.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Duncan Johnson9.013000.003.33
Chris Bird8.123600.004.41
Bradman Ediriweera7.0028128.004.00
Peter Edgcombe5.002900.005.80
Neil Rider8.0122122.002.75
Nick Bishop10.0245222.504.50

  • Umpire :
    Panel
  • Scorer :
    Ian Martin