Scorecard

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday v Marlow on Sat 15 Jul 2006 at 1.30pm
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Lost 12 runs

Match report Thatcham suffered a setback in their search for the Thames Valley League title as Marlow held on to record a maximum 25 point haul courtesy of a tense 13 run victory at Brownsfield on Saturday.

Winning the toss, Marlow skipper Mark Rochester had no hesitation in choosing to bat and Buckinghamshire’s Graham Paskins and Hudson strode out to face the Thatcham new ball attack of Faisal Ali and Julian Wood. It was a tight start from the home pair and this was rewarded when Hudson edged Wood to Steve Wyatt, who clung on at 1st slip, but this was to be the last success for 26 overs as Paskins took centre stage with support from Manu, who suffered a torrid time against a fired up Wood, but survived to make 40 before he was caught and bowled by Duncan Johnson after a partnership of 135 runs. Paskins reached a fine century but a loose shot on 104 saw his downfall as the introduction of Nick Bishop stemmed the flow of the visitors. Runs were still leaking from the other end at an alarming rate though, as a combination of poor bowling and a lightning fast outfield gave no room for error, but Bishop wheeled away, bowling Baig with a turning off-break and then taking the wicket of the big hitting Jawed Haq, well caught at deep mid-wicket by Steve Wyatt for 22. There was still time for Bishop to claim the wicket of Dickinson, caught by Wood for 20, and it was left to Madurasinghe and Friend to take the total up to 253-6 from 52 overs, 20/30 runs more than Thatcham would have hoped for, but still in reach given the powerful batting line up they boast. Nick Bishop was the pick of the home attack with 4-39 from his 10 overs.

Whereas Thatcham had no luck with the new ball, beating the bat on a consistent basis, the Marlow attack of Baig and 15 year old prospect Hampton certainly got their share as they blew away the home side top 6 in a 25 over spell. Julian Wood and James Ettridge had raced Thatcham away to 36 off the first 5 overs, before Ettridge gloved a rising delivery from Hampton to Rochester for 8. He was followed by Wood in the next over, suckered into a mis-timed pull shot, DeFranco taking the catch at deep square leg and Steve Wyatt followed lbw the very next ball. Duncan Johnson smashed the hat-trick ball to the fence, but was soon gone in the next over, edging Baig to Rochester behind the sticks for 9. Gavin McDonald then got a nick to leg spinner DeFranco for 14 and when Simon Rider was bowled by Baig for 4 and Faisal Ali was lbw to Haq without scoring, Thatcham were 115-7 from 25 overs and facing a humiliating defeat. Marlow hadn’t reckoned on Chris Wright and Raheel Zaman though, and slowly these two started to get the home side back in the game, Wright looked in sublime form, defending stoutly and when given the chance he punished the bad ball to the boundary and with Zaman playing his natural game, taking chances and striking the ball cleanly, the pair got the score up to 190-7 from 40 overs and compared with Marlow’s 178-4 at the same stage, an unlikely victory was on the cards, with 63 runs needed from the last 8 overs at just under 8 per over required. Wright passed a super half century and at 45 overs had taken his side to 223, just 31 short when he tried to give himself some room to hit off spinner Haq over extra cover, and was bowled for a fine knock of 90, the whole ground rising to applaud as he walked off. It was to prove a bitter blow for Thatcham as with the last ball of the 47th over, Zaman charged Haq, was beaten, and Rochester took the bails off and the young seamer was on his way for 43. It all came down to the last over, and Thatcham needed 13 runs from it, Marlow skipper Rochester throwing the ball to young leg spinner DeFranco in what was a courageous decision as seamer Hampton had bowled well, but it was to prove a masterstroke as Pete Edgcombe couldn’t get DeFranco away, 2 dot balls to start and it was time for drastic measures, Edgcombe came down the pitch, missed and Rochester completed the stumping to give Marlow a 25 point victory, Thatcham left 13 runs short in what was a great run chase, although Marlow will look on the 56 extras given away, which certainly made the game tighter than it should have been.

Thatcham thankfully lost no ground in the title race, as leaders Kew were easily beaten by Harefield, who chased their 183 and got them for the loss of just one wicket and with NPL Teddington surprisingly beaten by bottom side Hampton Hill, the West Berkshire outfit are 11 points off joint leaders Harefield and Kew with 8 games of the season left and still 200 points to play for.

Thatcham travel to Chesham on Saturday in a must win game.

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
241		        
Julian Wood Caught  17 1
James Ettridge Caught  8
Gavin McDonald Caught  14
Steve Wyatt Lbw  0 2
Duncan Johnson Caught  9 1
Simon Rider Bowled  4
Chris Wright Bowled  90
Faisal Ali Lbw  0
Raheel Zaman Stumped  43
Peter Edgcombe Stumped  0 1
Nick Bishop Not Out  0

Marlow Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Marlow Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 6 wickets
0
253 (0.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Faisal Ali6.002200.003.67
Julian Wood14.0260160.004.29
Raheel Zaman3.011700.005.67
Duncan Johnson13.0074174.005.69
Peter Edgcombe6.022400.004.00
Nick Bishop10.023949.753.90

  • Umpire :
    Panel
  • Scorer :
    Dan Stephenson/ Tom Mahoney