Scorecard

Royal Ascot v Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday on Sat 09 Jul 2016 at 1.00
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Won by 6 wickets

Match report Thatcham travelled to Ascot on Saturday in search of a much needed win and came away with a comfortable 6 wicket victory in a fairly one sided encounter thanks mainly to the batting brilliance of 16 year old Kieran Wood.

Thatcham skipper Duncan Johnson won the toss and put the home side into bat and Callum Johnson opened up with another 16 year old, George Armstrong, making his 1st XI debut. Armstrong is a real talent with good pace and a lovely action and although he took a little while to settle up the hill and into a stiff breeze, it was he who made the initial breakthrough having the dangerous Kendall caught behind by Jack Young for 17. Johnson then produced an absolute crackerjack of a delivery to dismiss Ascot skipper Nick Sweetman (2) as the ball started out on the leg side and then swung away to nip the top of the off stump dislodging just a single bail as Sweetman groped despairingly. Ascot's two top batters back in the shed inside the first 7 overs and things looking good for the visitors. Armstrong finished his 6 over spell with 1-29 and can be well pleased with an excellent debut in testing conditions. Veteran left arm spinner Chris Bird took over from Armstrong and he broke the developing partnership between James Wensley and Oliver Dunnett which had reached 50 before Dunnett (20) fell top edging an attempted sweep only to find the safe hands of John Williams at short backward square leg. Another face returning to the 1st XI was Jack Andrews. His burgeoning career may have been cut short with too many injuries to play at the highest level, but he was able to extract some good pace from the wicket and although finished wicketless it was a good sign for the weeks ahead to get him back on the field and bowling again. John Williams replaced him and the two Thatcham spinners turned the screw on the Ascot middle order. Williams got one to turn and bounce forcing Edridge (8) to pop up a simple bat/pad chance to keeper Jack Young and when Bird trapped Mohain lbw for 2, the home side were in trouble at 115-6 through 32 overs. Andrew Murray and Nick Wiggett needed to rebuild and the pair added 57 valuable runs before Murray was bowled by Bird for a patient 45. Andy English (2) came and went quickly, caught by Josh O'Flynn off Williams and Bird completed another 5 wicket haul when he had Brown caught behind first ball. Last man Kevin May joined Wiggett and they got their side up to 190-9 from the 52 overs, Wiggett unbeaten on 21 at the close.

Chris Bird was again the pick of the attack bowling unchanged for 20 overs, picking up 5-60 and he was well supported by John Williams 11 overs 2-40, Callum Johnson 11 overs 1-38 and George Armstrong 6 overs 1-29.

It was no surprise that Ascot opened up with the old ball and spinners Kevin May and Oliver Dunnett did an excellent job in the first 10 overs as they reduced Thatcham to 20-1, Josh O'Flynn running past a Dunnett delivery and stumped for 9. The visitors needed some impetus and they certainly got it as 16 year old Kieran Wood entered the fray. Wood is the son of former Hampshire batsman and current power hitting coach Julian Wood and he has obviously learnt well from his father as he came in and took the game away from Ascot with a glorious array of powerful strokes adding 98 with Peter Spriggs for the 2nd wicket in just 16 overs at the crease. Wood eventually fell for 84 off just 68 balls but the damage had been done and he had turned the game irreversibly in his sides favour. Duncan Johnson added a further 33 runs with Spriggs before he sliced one to Dunnett off May for 9 and when Spriggs followed a few runs later for a well compiled 44, it could have made things tricky. Jack Young and the experienced Matthew Denness had other ideas though and with so much time left in the game they batted sensibly together, picking off the bad balls and the game was done at the end of the 41st over as Denness smashed May for a boundary and a welcome 25 point haul for Thatcham. Jack Young was unbeaten on 18* and Denness 25* but the real plaudits were saved for Wood and Spriggs, two young lads who had done so much to contribute to their sides success.

Kevin May, 2-68 from 15 overs, Oliver Dunnett 1-30 from 10 overs and Mike Brown 1-40 from 4 overs were the Ascot wicket takers.

With that win, Thatcham moved above Burnham 2's who could only draw against Beaconsfield and it's the latter who Thatcham entertain next at Brownsfield as they look to kick on and record back to back wins for the first time this season.

Royal Ascot Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
3nb 4w 4b 2lb 
for 9 wickets
13
190 (52.0 overs)		     
Jack Kendall ct  George Armstrong 17
James Wensley lbw  Chris Bird 55
Nick Sweetman b  Callum Johnson 2
Oliver Dunnett ct  Chris Bird 20
Patrick Edridge ct  John Williams 8
Deep Mohain lbw  Chris Bird 2
Nick Wiggett Not Out  21
Andrew Murray b  Chris Bird 45
Andy English ct  John Williams 2
Mike Brown ct  Chris Bird 0
Kevin May Not Out  5

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Callum Johnson11.0338138.003.45
George Armstrong6.0029129.004.83
Chris Bird20.0260512.003.00
Jack Andrews4.001700.004.25
John Williams11.0140220.003.64

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
4lb 
for 4 wickets
4
193		        
Josh O'Flynn st  Oliver Dunnett 9 1 1
Peter Spriggs ct  Kevin May 44 7
Kieran Wood ct  Mike Brown 84 13 1
Duncan Johnson ct  Kevin May 9 1
Jack Young Not Out  18 3 3
Matthew Denness Not Out  25 3 1
Jack Andrews  
John Williams   1
Callum Johnson  
George Armstrong  
Chris Bird  

Royal Ascot Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Kevin May15.0268234.004.53
Oliver Dunnett10.0330130.003.00
Andrew Murray12.015100.004.25
Mike Brown4.0040140.0010.00

  • Umpire :
    TVCL Panel
  • Scorer :
    Paul Armstrong