Scorecard

Cold Ash v Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham XI- Wednesday on Wed 15 Aug 2012 at 5.45
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Lost by 8 wickets

Match report Mighty Trouts defeated by Cold Ash

Another young Trouts side made the short journey to neighbours Cold Ash with 2 things in mind, (1) the knowledge that victory here would guarantee promotion to Div 2, and (2) the much-vaunted dinner at the Castle Inn, which is widely rumoured to be better than a Rita Jenkins tea.

After a monsoon-like downpour at 2pm that temporarily transformed West Berkshire into a Bollywood scene in Mumbai, the skies brightened and it was miraculously deemed safe to play on the artificial surface - indeed the outfield was almost dry. Most of the Trouts players had driven past the Cold Ash ground countless times but never actually played there. There was a warm welcome from a family of wasps nesting under a window sill of the clubhouse, former Town stalwart Jim Ettridge was stung 3 times on the leg. With the arrival of chief supporters / critics Nathan and Willo, as well as Tommy Mather, to provide some encouragement and banter, the Town openers Josh Winfield and Andy Rishton strolled out with the task of batting Cold Ash out of the match. With a target of 150 in mind, they initially set about their business with no alarm.

But it wasn’t long before Winfield was caught and bowled for 3, perhaps distracted and still smirking over his earlier Facebook post that Rishton looks very much like a poor man’s version of the young Australian heartthrob, singer Cody Simpson. Rishto was joined by a rusty Jamie Shields, who was fortunate to be dropped by the same fielder 3 times (poor chap) but rotated the strike well with 11 consecutive singles whilst Rishto knocked 2s and 3s around the massive outfield with gusto. By this point Nath, Willo and Winfield had “borrowed” balls from teammate’s bags and were enjoying a lap of target bowls, mixed in with the odd howl of derision or hollered suggestion to the batters in the middle. Shields (13) departed before an otherwise impressive Rishton (49) ran himself out looking for the 2nd to bring up his 50, the second time in 2 weeks he’s taken on a good arm well inside the boundary. Rishton 0; Opposition 2. I think a new parody Twitter account called Rishto Genius should be set up. And did he buy a round for blatant jug avoidance? Not a chance.

Rishton’s departure was crucial as it stalled the innings at an important time with Faithful (1/23) and Leadbeater (1/24) applying the brakes and under the pressure Arthur Edwards was bowled attempting a huge swing reminiscent of a Ukranian hammerthrower I recently watched on TV. After no. 6 Rochy joined Tom Mahoney, the pair upped the run rate with well worked 2s and 3s, Rochy (28) finding the rare boundary with a couple of meaty pulls through mid wicket. With Ettridge tearing his (limited) hair out over the 1s becoming 2s and 2s becoming 3s, a decent (but perhaps 15-short) total of 137 was set, Saunders finishing well with 2/34 and Mahoney 17*.

Our promising crop of young bowlers were given the tough responsibility of defending the total against former Berkshire batsman Ettridge, supported by the senior players prowling the long boundaries. Aaron Voller and Shiva Karthikeyan bowled economically and without luck, although Shiva did bowl Barlow for 4. Roberts then joined Ettridge and the pair slowly wore Town down, mixing some destructive boundary hitting with the bread and butter 1s and 2s and really showed us how easily singles could be stolen in the ring. Critically the Trouts conceded far too many wides (36) offering free runs and allowing Cold Ash to keep up with the rate of 9 per over, whilst Ettridge survived a difficult missed stumping chance off Voller.
Keeper Rochy was told by the opposition umpire that his helmet, which was safely stowed behind him, wasn’t directly behind the wicket and was asked to move it. “It is actually my decision where to put it, but if you insist”, and it was moved 4 inches to the right.

With Ettridge growing in stature and moving rapidly toward 50 it was to 13-year-old Jona Spriggs’ credit that he kept going for 3 overs and produced some excellent off-spin deliveries on the artificial surface, and wasn’t put off giving the ball some flight.
In the meantime chief scouts WIllo and Nath were calling for Tom Mahoney, who is not known as a bowler and last took a wicket for the club over 2 years ago, to come on at the critical moment in the game. Rochy ignored the advice and recent bowling match winner Josh Winfield was introduced to try and break the partnership but despite some hostile deliveries he was kept at bay. The Quarter Pounder with Cheese (1/13) was introduced as well and dismissed Roberts (20) but with Ettridge racing to 68* the damage was done.

In the end a comfortable 8-wicket win for Cold Ash with 1 over remaining but we can be proud of our effort which reflects our intentions at the beginning of the season: the youngsters will always play a major part in the game and learn from it. Their 11 adults beat our team consisting of 7 players 18 or younger.
Cold Ash probably go up (unless we can reverse an unfavourable net run rate next week) and well done to them, but if we finish 2nd with some league reshuffling likely we may well go up too, that would be fab as Winfield and I would like another go at the dinner in the Castle Inn. Indeed, Winfield tucked into 2 massive overflowing portions of chicken curry, rice and chips, then just before departure declared himself hungry again. Just as well he had tea waiting for him at home, then.
COYT!

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham XI- Wednesday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
16w 4lb 
for 5 wickets
20
137		        
Andy Rishton Run out  49 1
Josh Winfield ct & b. Faithful 3
Jamie Shields ct Leadbeater 13
Arthur Edwards b Saunders 3
Tom Mahoney Not Out  17
Chris Rochfort ct Saunders 28 2
Eddie Wylie Not Out  0
Will Rowsell  
Jona Spriggs  
Shiva Karthikeyan  
Aaron Voller  

Cold Ash Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Evrard3.002700.009.00
Faithful 3.0023123.007.67
Leadbeater3.0024124.008.00
Patel3.002600.008.67
Saunders3.0034217.0011.33

Cold Ash Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 36w 1b 1lb 
for 2 wickets
40
138 (13.7 overs)		     
Barlow b S. Karthikeyan 4
Ettridge Not Out  68
Roberts ct Winfield b. Wylie 20
Leadbeater Not Out  2
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham XI- Wednesday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Aaron Voller3.002600.008.67
Shiva Karthikeyan2.0018118.009.00
Jona Spriggs3.004000.0013.33
Will Rowsell1.001500.0015.00
Josh Winfield3.002600.008.67
Eddie Wylie1.7013113.006.00