Scorecard

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1st X1 - Sunday v Falkland on Sun 14 May 2006 at 1pm
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Lost 8 runs

Match report Thatcham bowed out of the National Knockout at the second hurdle when they went down by 8 runs to local rivals Falkland CC on Sunday with the Home Counties side edging a closely fought and hugely entertaining tie in front of an enthusiastic Brownsfield crowd.

Mark Foster won the toss and elected to bat and after the early losses of Bloodworth and Chapman, Steve Pope and Tom Heath set about establishing a useful platform on which to build a useful total on another excellent early season Thatcham track. Early pressure was maintained by the home attack, particularly from Pete Edgcombe who bowled through to finish with excellent figures of 1 for 26 from his 9 over spell but the Falkland batsman seemed to be winning the battle and although Pope departed to a loose shot for 43 with the total on 81, Heath and Bobby Zafar kept the run rate ticking over and Thatcham needed to apply the brakes or face a likely run chase of 225 plus.

Skipper Nick Bishop turned to club captain Duncan Johnson for the necessary control and soon joined him to form a useful all spin attack with Bishop quickly picking up Zafar for 20. Johnson then sent Foster packing for 2, Falkland now slipping to 126 for 5 but, as important for Thatcham, the run rate was slowing considerably and with 15 overs to bowl, Bishop was now looking to keep Falkland below the 200 mark.

Heath continued to combine sensible single taking with some powerful blows and whilst Tim Dellor (13) offered support at the other end the stocky left hander marched on to post a useful half century and only departed in the final run chase when he holed out to an excellent running catch by Jamie Bishop at long off for 69. By this time Johnson had finished a miserly spell of 1 for 20 from 9 and Bishop had switched ends to allow Rakesh Patel to bowl out the final three overs from the top end.

Patel proved a point to his captain and probably should have been given a longer spell as the all rounder bagged 3 for 10 and Bishop finished with 2 for 35 from his nine over stint backed up by an excellent fielding display by the Thatcham side which helped restrict Falkland to 195 for 9 from their 45 overs.

Thatcham’s reply started in disastrous fashion as they quickly slumped to 12 for 3, losing Nick Shea, Jim Ettridge and Nick Shea to Falkland’s youth and experience opening partnership of Chapman and evergreen Nigel Trumper. Consolidation was urgently required but it was equally important not to let the run rate slip below four an over and Johnson and Daniel Stone provided both as they forged a superb 82 run fourth wicket partnership and ensured that the home side stayed in the chase.

Johnson was the first to depart for 39 as Foster picked up an excellent close catch of the left-handers glove off George Truby and Stone (39) then followed to the same bowler who returned tidy figures of 2 for 24 from 9. Thatcham were now 114 for 5 and after a minor recovery as Patel and Jenkins added 22 for the sixth wicket the latter was then bowled by Zafar for 19 and things were evenly poised at 136 for 6 with 11 overs remaining.

The tension on the field was matched by the growing noise from the watching crowd and Patel seemed to be feeding off the atmosphere as he got himself set and then launched some trademark leg side shots and boost his sides score to within 23 runs of the target before slapping a long hop from Zafar to point and handed the initiative back to the visitors as he departed for 39. Edgcombe showed the necessary calm, picking up singles with relative ease but he could only watch as his skipper parted for 4 and Raheel Zaman quickly came and went for duck, leaving Thatcham still 17 runs adrift and only one wicket in hand.

Jamie Bishop managed to keep his wicket safe at one end whilst Edgcombe worked 8 of the required runs but the nagging persistence of Zafar proved too much for the Thatcham all rounder who was clean bowled and fell for 19 to the fourth ball of the penultimate over, Thatcham 187 all out and Zafar mopping up the tail with figures of 4 for 42. Falkland march on into the third round with an away tie with the winners of Finchampstead and Challow & Childrey whilst Thatcham were left kicking their heels as to what have been.

The two sides are though hoping to continue locking horns though and are looking at putting together a two match Twenty20 challenge during June when Thatcham will be looking to exact some revenge for two early season defeats.


Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1st X1 - Sunday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
187		        
Nick Shea Caught  8 1
James Ettridge Lbw  0 1
Chris Wright Lbw  0 1
Dan Stone Lbw  37
Duncan Johnson Caught  39 1
Paul Jenkins Bowled  19
Rakesh Patel Caught  39
Peter Edgcombe Bowled  19 1
Nick Bishop Lbw  4
Raheel Zaman Bowled  0
Jamie Bishop Not Out  1 1

Falkland Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Falkland Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 9 wickets
0
195 (0.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1st X1 - Sunday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Raheel Zaman7.014200.006.00
Peter Edgcombe9.0226126.002.89
Paul Jenkins6.0042142.007.00
Nick Shea2.001200.006.00
Duncan Johnson9.0320120.002.22
Nick Bishop9.0035217.503.89
Rakesh Patel3.001033.333.33

  • Umpire :
    Panel
  • Scorer :
    Ian Martin