Scorecard

Burnham 2 v Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday on Sat 23 Jul 2016 at 1.00
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Won by 58 runs

Match report A magnificent century from Kieran Wood laid the platform for a maximum 25 point haul at Burnham on Saturday as they beat their hosts by 58 runs to move up to 6th in Thames Valley Division 2b.

Thatcham skipper Duncan Johnson won an important toss and decided to bat first on a hot day but things didn't start well as Waqar Ahmed, often the tormentor of the visitors, knocked over Josh O'Flynn with the second ball of the innings. That could have been the start of a bad day for the visitors but two teenagers then got together and O'Flynn was to be Burnham's last success for 38 overs as Peter Spriggs and Kieran Wood put on a partnership of 198 for the second wicket. The pair nullified Waqar who'd had enough after 8 overs, signalling to his skipper for a change so it was the dual spin of Suhaib Ahmed and Dawood Baig who had the task of trying to keep the Thatcham batters in check. Neither had an answer to Wood's brilliance and Spriggs solid technique. Wood had missed out twice recently with two knocks in the 80's and he wasn't about throw this chance of a century away as he breezed through the 90's and a quick single brought up his first Thames Valley League 100 from 106 balls with fifteen boundaries. Spriggs meanwhile passed his 50 in a more sedate fashion with just the three boundaries but he was the perfect foil for Wood and the two seem to enjoy batting together. Burnham skipper Mo Asif decided he needed to try and get some control on the innings as Thatcham closed in on 200 through 40 overs and he turned to Waqar who in his 2nd over back dismissed Wood for a fantastic 131. Jack Young joined Spriggs and the platform was perfect for him to display his talent with shots all round the wicket as Burnham toiled in the heat. Spriggs had reached a superb 73 when he mis-cued Waqar and was caught. It was a great knock from the youngster, showing excellent patience and technique. John Williams was promoted up the order to heap more misery on the home side but although he hit one huge six, he perished soon after, caught for 10 and it was left for Young and Tom Mahoney to reach 272 after 49 overs and that was enough for skipper Duncan Johnson to declare. Young was unbeaten on 44* and Mahoney 2*.

Waqar Ahmed was the most successful of the home attack as he finished with 3-68 from his 15 overs with Suhaib Ahmed 1-98 from 19 overs the other wicket taker.

Having taken the old ball and opened with spin in a few previous games with little success, Johnson opted for the new ball and an attack of Callum Johnson and George Armstrong. Burnham as expected, came flying out of the traps, Gopi Basra in particular, targeting the 16 year old Armstrong as he smashed his first two overs for 23 runs. This prompted a quick change as John Williams replaced him, but Basra continued his onslaught, with Williams first two overs getting despatched for 16. None of the bowlers were allowed to settle as Basra raced to fifty from just 34 balls . Shaid Nadeem had reached 23 with five 4's before he top edged Williams and Tom Mahoney took an excellent catch at short backward square to bring the visitors their first success. Basra was still swinging away and had taken his side to 90-1 inside the initial 12 overs before Chris Bird induced a mis-timed shot and Spriggs took the catch, Basra gone for 55 and a big wicket for Thatcham. With Basra gone, Armstrong was brought back into the attack and he immediately took a wicket, having Sajeed Ali caught and bowled for 17. Obaid Sarwar was now at the crease, an ex-first class cricketer and another big wicket. With the usual bowlers unable to stem the flow of runs and Burnham 132-3 through 20 overs and going at 6.60 runs an over, skipper Johnson turned to Josh O'Flynn and himself to try and gain some control. The move was successful as just 35 runs were added in the next 10 overs, Johnson taking the wicket of Miah for 16 in between this period. Waqar joined Sarwar and this was the partnership which the visitors had to break. O'Flynn was in the middle of an inspired spell, getting the ball to nip around off the seam and move through the air and although he dropped Sarwar off a tough caught and bowled chance he was to gain his revenge soon after when Sarwar gloved a lifting deliver and Jack Young leapt in the air to take an excellent catch and Sarwar had to go for 46. Skipper Asif lasted just two balls as he nicked O'Flynn through to Young without scoring. Waqar Ahmed had reached 37 when he inside edged a Johnson delivery and Jack Young took an excellent catch and when O'Flynn trapped Adnan Javid lbw for 0 the pair had bowled 17 overs together and taken 5-58 to turn the game in their favour. Both took a break and Chris Bird and John Williams were re-introduced into the attack to win the game. It didn't take long before Suhaib Ahmed tried to smash Williams over the top, only succeeding in slicing it up to Callum Johnson and when Dawood Baig tamely hit a Chris Bird full toss to O'Flynn the game was up and Burnham were all out for 214 in the 43rd over.

Josh O'Flynn bowled one of the spells of the season as he returned 3-32 in 12 overs of seam in blistering conditions and together with Duncan Johnson, 2-41 from 8 overs, really made the difference. John Williams 2-45 from 9 overs, Chris Bird 2-26 from 4.3 overs and George Armstrong 1-39 from 4 overs were also in the wickets for Thatcham.

It was a much needed 25 points for the West Berkshire side and gives them confidence ahead of next weeks trip to leaders Henley 2's.

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2w 6b 4lb 
for 4 wickets
12
272		        
Josh O'Flynn b Waqar Ahmed 0 2
Peter Spriggs ct Waqar Ahmed 73 3 1
Kieran Wood ct Waqar Ahmed 131 19
Jack Young Not Out  44 5 3
John Williams ct Suhaib Ahmed 10 1
Tom Mahoney Not Out  2 1
Matthew Denness  
Duncan Johnson  
Callum Johnson   1
George Armstrong   1
Chris Bird  

Burnham 2 Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Waqar Ahmed15.0168322.674.53
Shafaqat Ali5.003500.007.00
Suhaib Ahmed19.0198198.005.16
Dawood Baig10.006100.006.10

Burnham 2 Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 3w 2b 1lb 
for 10 wickets
7
214 (42.3 overs)		     
Gopi Basra ct Chris Bird 55
Shaid Nadeem ct John Williams 23
Sajid Ali ct George Armstrong 17
Obaid Sarwar ct Josh O'Flynn 46
Eklis Miah ct Duncan Johnson 16
Waqar Ahmed ct Duncan Johnson 37
Mohammed Asif ct Josh O'Flynn 0
Adnan Javid lbw Josh O'Flynn 0
Suhaib Ahmed ct John Williams 12
Dawood Baig ct Chris Bird 1
Shafaqat Ali Not Out  0

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Callum Johnson5.002800.005.60
George Armstrong4.0039139.009.75
John Williams9.0145222.505.00
Chris Bird4.3026213.005.78
Josh O'Flynn12.0532310.672.67
Duncan Johnson8.0041220.505.13

  • Umpire :
    TVCL Panel
  • Scorer :
    Paul Armstrong