Scorecard

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham XI- Wednesday v Cold Ash on Wed 20 Jun 2012 at 6.10
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Won by 8 wickets

Match report Felix destroys Cold Ash attack as Mighty Trouts go Joint Top

Cold Ash, village population 3,000. Thatcham, town population 22,000. They didn’t honestly think they could beat us did they? Well, as a matter of fact, yes. Cold Ash boasted some good ringers as well as familiar faces amongst the Town faithful including Richard Lavender and former Town player Jim Ettridge. Leading into the much-anticipated fixture the pre-match chatter focussed on the Div 3 league table as Cold Ash (1st) and the Mighty Trouts (2nd) went head to head. Cold Ash boast a venerable top order and from past fixtures appear to have batted (battered?) the opposition out of the match, on one occasion scoring 165. But they have also bowled teams out twice for around 70.
Despite looking to avoid the Trouts being a fish out of water, captain Rochy stuck to the game plan of keeping the youngsters heavily involved as Aaron Voller, Tom Allison, Will Rowsell and James O’Connor were handed the red cherry, supported by the illustrious senior pros John Williams and Nathan Redmond. In contrast to previous weeks of discipline, this was a poor bowling display, with a grand total of 55 wides and no-balls conceded, and underpinned Cold Ash’s dominant showing in the first half. The errant bowling also subdued a normally very chirpy Peter Spriggs, who instead spent his time trying to gather in the Lindsay Lohan (i.e. wayward) bowling. The fielding was generally good, with some superman dives, but the ring fielders were slow on the dab-and-run stuff conceding far too many easy singles.
In front of a decent Weds-night crowd, Aaron Voller (1/19) was pick of the bowlers but will be most remembered for his comical caught and bowled, the easy skier was only held with a big slice of luck. Allison couldn’t repeat his mesmerising effort of last week and John Williams (3-0-18-0) came in at the pavilion end looking to break the ominous 2nd wicket partnership as Jim Ettridge was joined by Nick Leadbeater. The latter seemed determined to play across the line and against the spin to the leg side, even after Rochy packed the leg-side field, left massive off-side gaps, and began to sledge the one-dimensional strokeplay. But Ettridge and the One-Shot-Man were highly effective until Rider became a trout-metaphor - picking up a good leaping catch off O’Connor (1/28) to dismiss Ettridge (19). Leadbeater (30) and Quinton (12*) continued, helped along by the extras column who by now had raised its bat, embarrassingly passing 50 (and the rest). Nathan Redmond was handed the death bowling responsibility (not before grumpily threatening to quit if he was ever called ‘Nathanator’ again) alongside Will Rowsell and Cold Ash finished 140/4 - with the Trouts looking dead in the water.
There is not a lot to write about for our bowlers, although Will Rowsell did well with 1/16 in 2 at the death.
With a meaty target to chase captain Rochy opted to open with the attacking / steady partnership of Felix Hartley-Russell and James O’Connor respectively, and also promoting John Williams to 3 to add impetus to the required rate of 9/over. Simon Rider at 4 raised less eyebrows.
In what could be known as the Brownsfield Massacre Felix absolutely destroyed the Cold Ash attack with brutal but classy shots (incl. 7 sixes) that brought new meaning to the saying “timed the tits off it”. Three different Cold Ash bowlers nearly broke fingers trying to stop exocet missile straight drives and opening partner O’Connor took one to the foot that rendered him semi-disabled for a few overs until he’d run it off. Whiskers cleared his front leg to great effect and launched space probes to Planet Cow miles into the neighbouring rec as Cold Ash heads dropped in disbelief and Nick Leadbeater's only over went for 20. James O’Connor had just 7 of the first 80-odd runs scored but impressively moved into his stride once joined by Bones (who wasn’t sympathising with O’Connor’s limp). The talented 14-year-old started finding the boundary with classy strokes (presumably to avoid running quick 2s and 3s?) to heap pressure on the besieged Cold Ash bowlers who were momentarily relieved to see the back of Whiskers (71 off 30-ish) and Willo (0). In a praiseworthy move - taking into account the batting carnage - Cold Ash brought on 11 year old county captain Tom Ettridge for 1 over, who bowled 4 dot balls in a row in figures of 0/5. But in an excellent cameo, Rider took O’Connor (35*) under his wing and the pair completed the chase in intelligent fashion, the Bone Collector finishing 17*.
It was an impressive comeback to move Town joint-top with a game in hand, and it was an ashes to ashes day for (you guessed it) Cold Ash. They go back to their little village tail between legs, left to ponder what might have been over a Mr Chubbs in the Spotted Dog. However there’s no prizes for guessing that the U15/U17 training on Tuesday will be focussing on bowling, whilst quack-victim Willo needs a bat in the nets. Another home fixture next week and more youngsters to make their Mighty Trouts debut as the squad rotation policy continues. COYT!! (Come on you Trouts!!)

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham XI- Wednesday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 2 wickets
0
141		        
Felix Hartley Russell ct Jamin 71 4 7 2
James O'Connor Not Out  35 4
John Williams b Roberts 0
Simon Rider Not Out  17 3 1
Chris Rochfort  
Eddie Wylie  
Peter Spriggs  
Nathan Redmond  
Will Rowsell  
Aaron Voller   1
Tom Allison  

Cold Ash Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
R. Faithful3.002300.007.67
K. Prescott2.403000.0011.25
Jamin3.0023123.007.67
N. Leadbeater1.002000.0020.00
O. Roberts3.0032132.0010.67
T. Ettridge 1.00500.005.00

Cold Ash Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
4nb 51w 6b 1lb 
for 4 wickets
62
140 (15.0 overs)		     
R. Price ct Voller 13
J. Ettridge ct O' Connor 19
N. Leadbeater ct Rowsell 30
S. Quinton Not Out  12
T. Sanders ct N. Redmond 2
O. Roberts Not Out  2
R. Lavender  
K. Prescott  
R. Faithful  
Jamin  
T. Ettridge  

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham XI- Wednesday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Aaron Voller3.0019119.006.33
Tom Allison2.002900.0014.50
John Williams3.001800.006.00
James O'Connor3.0028128.009.33
Will Rowsell2.0016116.008.00
Nathan Redmond2.0028128.0014.00