Scorecard

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday v Chesham on Sat 02 Jun 2012 at 1:00pm
Match was Drawn

Match report Thatcham’s unbeaten start to the 2012 campaign came under severe threat against a decent Chesham side as they clung on to draw at Brownsfield.

Without the recently signed overseas star, Stoney looked to test Chesham’s ability to defend a score by inserting them on a surprisingly lively surface. With a pretty formidable top five early inroads were going to be crucial with the key wicket of Aftab Habib top of the priority list. Chesham, however, didn’t seem keen on getting off to a flier with Habib and Goddard settling in for the long haul. Sadly the only enjoyment in the opening ten overs came from Ross with an interesting take on banter (my personal favourite being the ability to liken bowling to parking a car…). The early breakthrough came with Jenks bouncing out Goddard to Wattsy, sorry…Youngy at deep square. With a couple of adjustments in the bowling department Gibbo and Webbs settled in to equally tidy spells and with Habib seemingly dropping anchor somewhere around extra cover while wickets fell at regular intervals. Rance’s; Matthew (16) & Jason (8) struggled to up the tempo and with Barnaby Atkins departing early for just six the Chesham innings began to creep slowly to a halt.

Visiting captain Ollie Turner provided the much needed impetus striking a near run a ball 37 but when he became Stoney’s third stumping victim (somehow – I swear two of them were no balls) the innings ended with a final procession of wickets, including the eventual dislodging of Habib for 69. Chesham finishing on 186-8 from their 52 overs; the efforts of Turner must be respected as his contribution could potentially make a massive difference to the course of the match. It should be said that it wasn’t a case of Chesham batting badly, the home attack put in their most disciplined performance of the season with Webbs epitomising this taking 2-46 from a 16 over spell. Jenks (2-35), Willow (2-36) and Gibbo (1-19) all bowled tidy spells to keep a lid on the Chesham innings. Coupled with a fairly tidy keeping display from Stoney (claiming four stumpings and two catches – kerching fantasy points), we should be more than happy with our efforts.

The same, however, cannot be said for the batting display. Flynny and Capi-tan Ross were the first to have a thorough examination with the old ball and despite a solid start (reaching 29 without any real scares) no one could have guessed what would happen in the next ten overs. Flynny was the first to depart trapped in front of all three for 10 having looked relatively comfortable against the young opening attack of Matthew Rance and Jack Maciver. Stoney hoped to continue his early season form but after falling for just four a slight wobble looked on the cards as we slipped to 39-2. Things were about to get considerably worse...

Rance, like his captain earlier in the game, provided a telling contribution that would appear to swing the game massively in favour of the visitors. In an over that contained, what can only be described as the perfect cricketing hat trick (bowled, caught off side and caught leg side), we were in severe trouble reeling at 44-5. Strangely it was a feat only bettered on the day by Oxford who put our efforts completely to shame; losing their first four wickets without even scoring a run in their chase – that is how to collapse in style. With Capi-tan Ross still at the crease there was a good chance that a positive result could be salvaged; we only had the small task of 30 overs left to bat out. All it needed was a partnership. Thankfully one came and having survived a couple of carefully placed chips, the innings started to get back on track. With the game seemingly in Chesham’s grasp the strange decision was made to take the new ball; giving us the opportunity to move on the front foot and consider chasing down the target. Ross passed 50 and with Jenks being helped by the extra pace on the ball the game began to turn again.

Needing just 55 from the final nine overs, and with all three results still possible, the game changed yet again firstly with Jenks falling for 47 the crucial 88 run stand was broken. And with Ross following shortly after for a patient, but match saving, 62 Chesham were very much back in the hunt for a maximum 25 point win. Wattsy, sorry….Youngy and Willow couldn’t force the pace and being nine down with the best part of six overs left only one result appeared favourite. With Webbs and Gibbo seeing off the last few overs we had somehow snatched a draw; Rance finishing with 4-67 from 20 overs, well supported by Burden (2-12) and Royals (2-11).

A strange game really that had everything possible (including Gibbo’s nipple tape…) but proof that we will continue to compete against the stronger sides with a team that is still learning. Next weeks trip to Bagshot has the makings for another close match but when we finally bowl and bat well in the same game I fear for the opposition.

Chesham Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 4w 7b 5lb 
for 7 wickets
18
186 (52.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Josh O'Flynn7.011900.002.71
Paul Jenkins11.0235217.503.18
Andy Rishton3.001800.006.00
Scott Gibson7.0219119.002.71
Chris Bird16.0347223.502.94
John Williams8.0136218.004.50

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
8nb 1w 4b 4lb 
for 9 wickets
17
155		        
Ross Schreiber Caught  62
Josh O'Flynn Lbw  10 1
Dan Stone Caught  4 1 4
Duncan Johnson Bowled  1
Andy Rishton Caught  0
Matthew Denness Caught  0
Paul Jenkins Bowled  47
John Williams Caught  0
Jamie Young Caught  1 1
Chris Bird Not Out  13
Scott Gibson Not Out  0

Chesham Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

  • Umpire :
    Panel
  • Scorer :
    Ian Martin