Scorecard

Chiswick & Latymer v Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday on Sat 23 Aug 2014 at 12.30
Match was Drawn

Match report Thatcham have two 'must win' games left in which to save themselves from being relegated to the 3rd tier of Thames Valley cricket. The West Berkshire side find themselves just 2 points ahead of basement side Slough 2's in 9th spot with 160 points looking up at Sonning on 162 points, Aldershot on 177 points and Bagshot on 178 points. With 3 sides looking likely to go down, it really does look like a scrap between Slough 2's, Thatcham, Sonning, Aldershot and Bagshot for the drop. Thatcham face Aldershot at Brownsfield on Saturday before a trip to Slough on the last weekend of the season.
Saturday's trip to Chiswick & Latymer saw Thatcham play all the cricket and they were desperately unlucky not to force a much needed 25 point victory.
Winning the toss, skipper Duncan Johnson had no hesitation in batting first and Scott Gibson and Simon Rider started positively against the pacy Indian pro Tokas and his opening new ball partner Bhatia. The pair reached 47 without loss, Thatcham's highest opening partnership all season, until Gibson attempted to pull Tokas and looped a simple chance to Malik for 18. Jack Young was then too early on a drive off Singh and popped a catch to Rohit for 4 and then Josh O'Flynn was the second man out 'on the pull' to Tokas for 12. Thatcham were 100-3 through 30 overs and well placed to build a decent total. A woefully out of touch Duncan Johnson joined Rider and the Thatcham skipper looked to be getting back to some sort of form. Rider passed 50 but departed soon after, caught off the returning Bhatia, which left the 2 'older heads' Johnson and Chris Wright at the crease. Wright struck some beautiful lofted drives and timed the ball superbly as the pair accelerated the rate just at the right time. The partnership had reached 55 at a good lick before Wright departed lbw to Simpson for a fine 37. John Williams perished 'played on' first ball leaving Paul Jenkins to see out the hat trick ball with ease. Johnson then fell to a fine catch from Bhatia for 31 as Tokas returned to bowl the 'death overs'. Jenkins and Callum Johnson shared an entertaining partnership of 20 at the end to push the total up to 212-7 from the 52 overs. Tokas was inevitably the pick of the home attack, bowling all but 5 overs from one end carrying a groin injury, to return figures of 21-5-61-3.
Thatcham now had to bowl Chiswick out, they took the old ball and opened with Chris Bird and Duncan Johnson, Bird bowling the first over to Glover who started like a man possessed. He hit three 4's and with 15 coming from the over it was 'game on'! Johnson bagged Saini with his 3rd ball with a neat caught and bowled and when Glover was run out in the next over, Chiswick were 19-2! This brought the 2 Indian pro's Rohit Jhajhariya and Tokas together and Thatcham knew this was the partnership to break. Rohit looked in good touch, punishing any loose deliveries and he had reached 26 when Thatcham got a bit lucky. Johnson bowled a leg side delivery and Rohit got a little under edge on an attempted sweep. Up went the umpires finger and the visitors had the wicket they needed. John Williams came into the attack and struck in his 3rd over, Josh O'Flynn taking a stunning slip catch to see the back of Bhatia for 6 and when the same bowler nicked off the left handed Ruckshan for 9, the home side were 80-5 at the halfway stage. Tokas was still at the crease though and he was joined by Sunny Singh. A crucial lifeline was then handed to Singh as Johnson spilled a caught and bowled chance which was to prove decisive. Williams bowled a beauty to Tokas who edged to O'Flynn for 31, which left Chiswick skipper Clyde Scott to join Singh at the crease. Chiswick were 95-6 from 27 overs, so with 21 overs left to play, the visitors must have fancied their chances. Scott and Singh knew what was left 'in the hutch' though and they decided to 'shut up shop' in a frustrating partnership of 55 which was only ended in the very last over as Scott edged John Williams to Jenkins for 32. Thatcham tried everything in the last 20 overs to get a breakthrough, seamers Callum Johnson, Jenkins, McKenzie and Gibson were rotated as the new ball was taken with 15 overs left but it was a fruitless exercise on a dead pitch offering little assistance.
Singh was left unbeaten on 15 and Malik 4 not out as the Chiswick innings finished on 154-7 from the 48 overs. John Williams bowled superbly for the visitors, returning 4-32 from his 13 overs.
Thatcham took 13 points back down the M4 with the home side gaining 6 points for their efforts.
With most of the other sides in the league having some real pace in their ranks to 'blow away' the tail it's a harsh reality that Thatcham don't have that edge to be able to finish a side off.

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
8nb 6w 9b 6lb 
for 7 wickets
29
212		        
Scott Gibson Caught  18 2
Simon Rider Caught  53 7
Jack Young Caught  4 1 2
Josh O'Flynn Caught  12 2 2
Duncan Johnson Caught  31 3 1
Chris Wright Lbw  37 3 2
John Williams Bowled  0
Paul Jenkins Not Out  18 2 1
Callum Johnson Not Out  10 1
Chris Bird  
Lachlan McKenzie  

Chiswick & Latymer Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
V Tokas21.0561320.332.90
R Bhatia12.0254154.004.50
S Singh4.0016116.004.00
R Jhajahriya10.0338219.003.80
G Simpson5.0228214.005.60

Chiswick & Latymer Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
4w 5b 4lb 
for 7 wickets
13
154 (48.0 overs)		     
A Saini Caught  3
L Glover Run out  15
R Jhajhariya Caught  26
V Tokas Caught  31
H Bhatia Caught  6
Ruckshan Caught  9
S Singh Not Out  15
C Scott Caught  32
T Malik Not Out  4
R Bhatia  
G Simpson  

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Chris Bird7.014000.005.71
Duncan Johnson16.0453226.503.31
John Williams13.033248.002.46
Callum Johnson3.01500.001.67
Paul Jenkins3.01500.001.67
Lachlan McKenzie4.03500.001.25
Scott Gibson2.00500.002.50