Scorecard

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 2XI- Saturday v Yateley 2 on Sat 21 Jul 2012 at 1:00pm
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Won by 24 runs

Match report As the faint hints of summer finally fell upon the hallowed turf of Brownfields Thatcham Town 2nd XI and Yateley 2nd XI thrilled the largest crowd of the season with a finish that will keep the game of cricket alive for many years to come.

For only the second time this season, and to the same side, Thatcham loss the toss and were asked to bat. The Combination of a lush outfield, cut for the first time in 3 weeks on Thursday due to the weather and a good looking track, had the Thatcham skipper pondering with the thought. “What is a good total?” Nevertheless he ensured his batsmen remembered the cardinal rule of batting first, reach 200.

Things did not go to plan early on as both Andy Rishton’s attempt to smash a wide one through the covers and the ever reliable Simon Gale’s attempt to hook both failed, ending in the long walk home and Thatcham in the unusual position of 14 for 2.

Watts and Winfield set about rebuilding the Thatcham innings and over the next 27 overs accumulated a 101 run partnership in slightly differing styles with Watts continuing his form of recent weeks and Winfield riding his luck somewhat. At 115 for 2 and in the 35th over, things were looking set for Thatcham to push to the target total of 200. However Winfield (48), whilst forgetting to utilise his bat for the purpose it was made for, namely hitting the ball, was struck on the pad and given out LBW, thus signaling the start of the yet to be scientifically explained phenomenon ‘the collapse’.

Watts (55), with the image of his partners recent demise at the other end still fresh in his mind, had a lapse of concentration and attempted to play a shot alien to him, the cut, and played on. Young came and went and Thatcham were 119 for 5. Tom Mahoney (44 not out) became the backbone of home sides innings ensuring the home side got close to their 200 target with a chanceless innings. Thatcham’s innings finally came to an end as they batted out their allocated 52 overs with the total on 194 and the loss of 7 wickets.

Spinners Moore and Monger were asked to start the proceedings and Monger struck early removing Roper for 0. Skipper Bird then decided to introduce the usual opening paring of Andrews and Winfield. Andrews bowled his now familiar mix of line and length coupled with the unplayable delivery that should but never seems to take wickets.

The outcome of the match hung in the balance throughout the Yateley innings with neither side quite taking the initiative, Yateley scoring at the required run rate for victory, Thatcham taking wickets at regular intervals. This combination of runs and wickets lead to a finish, which thrilled the crowd, whose numbers had been swollen by the returning of the 1st XI from the corresponding fixture.

At 143 for 7 Yateley had every right to make things difficult for the Thatcham side; however Kennett (34) had other ideas, and winning was on the cards, as he combined a mixture watchful defense and big hitting, to add 25 runs for the 8th wicket with skipper Roper, taking Yateley to 168 with 6 overs remaining and Thatcham still requiring 3 wickets for victory. Things were becoming tense.

The game swung Thatcham’s way as Kennett sweetly struck a delivery though midwicket off Monger looking for an easy single. Watts, in the blink of an eye, made an audacious yet somehow futile grab at the passing ball and it stuck. With Monger (4-33) bowling well and the introduction of Andrews (3-36) at the other end Thatcham were hopeful of victory but overs were now becoming the rare commodity.

Andrews removed Akhtar for 1 in the 47th over leaving Yateley 9 balls to survive and force the draw and Thatcham one wicket for victory. Skipper Bird, felt pace was crucial but required an over of line and length that would force the batsmen to play all 6 remaining deliveries.

With the background mutterings of the 1st XI as to the skippers sanity ringing around the ground, Bird decided the re-introduction of Winfield for the final over was needed, hoping his extra pace and the pressure of the on looking 1st team would prove the perfect catalyst to reignite the fading likelihood of victory.

With everybody around the bat Winfield thrilled his fellow players and crowd alike as, on the fourth delivery of the over, he produced the delivery that would mark victory for Thatcham, an away swinging delivery that took the edge of Ropers bat and flew to second slip where Andrews thankfully snapped up a low the chance, raising Winfield one more level towards legendary status.

Victory and 25 points help further cement Thatcham’s position at the top of the league with second place Cove only managing 1 point against local rivals Falkland.

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 2XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2w 4b 3lb 
for 7 wickets
9
194		        
Andy Rishton ct Dodd 2
Matt Watts b Dow 55 9 1
Simon Gale ct Dodd 6 1
Josh Winfield lbw Pienaar 48 6 1 1
Tom Mahoney Not Out  44 3
Jamie Young lbw Dow 4 1 1
Nick Monger b Dow 5 1
Callum Johnson ct Dodd 15 1
Stephen Bird Not Out  6 2
Jack Andrews   2
Perry Moore  

Yateley 2 Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
O Dodd13.0438312.672.92
C Roper6.011300.002.17
B Tucker6.012800.004.67
T Nichols5.012000.004.00
G Pienaar8.022100.002.63
J Dow10.0142314.004.20
I Akhtar4.002500.006.25

Yateley 2 Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
16w 5b 1lb 
for 10 wickets
22
170 (47.4 overs)		     
G Soames lbw Andrews 16
L Roper ct Monger 0
J Dow ct Andrews 29
B Tucker ct Johnson 34
T Nichols lbw Johnson 16
I Cowdrill st Monger 0
S Kennett ct Monger 34
G Pienaar st Monger 14
C Roper ct Winfield 3
I Akhtar b Andrews 1
O Dodd Not Out  0

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 2XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Perry Moore4.011100.002.75
Nick Monger13.023348.252.54
Jack Andrews13.0336312.002.77
Josh Winfield5.4022122.003.88
Andy Rishton5.002200.004.40
Callum Johnson7.0138219.005.43

  • Umpire :
    Basil Wheeler
  • Scorer :