Scorecard

Marlow v Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday on Sat 26 Jun 2004 at 1.30pm
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Won 8 wickets

Match report A stunning partnership of 147 from Bradman Ediriweera and Steve Wyattt gave Thatcham a precious 20 points in an emphatic 8 wicket victory at Marlow on Saturday.
It was all the more important as at Cove, league leaders North Maidenhead were bowled out for 130, but then dismissed the home side for 97 to take a maximum 25 points haul and open up a 26 point gap on 2nd placed Thatcham with one game remaining of the 1st round of fixtures for the season.

The journey to Marlow was accompanied by rain and on arrival it never looked as though a game would be possible as at 1.30pm, the rain was still falling, meaning a 7 point share of the spoils was the most probable outcome.
Incredibly though, the rain stopped and the players took to the field just after
2.00pm with Thatcham skipper Duncan Johnson winning the toss and inevitably, given the circumstances, inviting the home side to bat.
Marlow openers Hillier and Bucks Minor Counties regular Graham Paskins were soon off and running, Paskins looking particularly good, pulling a thunderous shot to the boundary off a James Theunissen bouncer, but in the very next over Bradman Ediriweera produced a delivery that had Paskins off stump cartwheeling across the turf and he departed for 7. Given the lack of a proper warm up, the Thatcham bowling and fielding was decidedly ‘off colour’, with runs flowing either side of the wicket as
Marlow set about compiling a competitive total. Hillier and Gidman took the score to 60 before Gidman fell to Theunissen, caught down the leg side by Chris Wright for 24 and in the next over Nick Bishop picked up Hillier, lbw for 29. Marlow were well placed though, 66-3 from 17 overs and skipper Madurasinghe joined Hudson to pile on the misery for the visitors as they added 98 together before rain forced the players off the field with Marlow at 164-3 from 42 overs. Tea was taken during the stoppage and the game was reduced to a 92 over match, meaning Marlow could now only bat to a maximum of 48 overs and this benefited Thatcham greatly, as instead of making the most of the 6 overs left, the Marlow batsmen seemed to be intent on hitting every delivery for a boundary. Madurasinghe was bowled by Nick Bishop for 37, Powell was caught at long on by Theunissen off Johnson for 4 and then Bishop trapped Hudson lbw for 59. Churchill-Brown came in and hit a quickfire 20 before he was deceived by Nick Bishop and it was left to Dickenson (not out 13) and Thomas (not out 1) to take Marlow up to 206-7 from the 48 overs available.
Bishop was, by far, the pick of the Thatcham attack finishing with 4-38 from his 11 overs, ably backed by Ediriweera 1-47 from 12, Theunissen 1-42 from 11 and Johnson 1-39 from 7.

With just 44 overs to get the 207 needed for victory it was vital that Thatcham got off to a good positive start and James Ettridge and Bradman Ediriweera provided just that. They raced out of the blocks against Thomas and Powell and posted 51 off just 8 overs when Ettridge was adjudged lbw to a Churchill Brown in-swinger for a fine run a ball 33. Although Matt Denness then went cheaply, well caught by Powell, also off Churchill Brown, it was the last success that Marlow were to enjoy as Ediriweera and Wyatt then took over. Ediriweera produced some stunning shots, off and on drives raced to the ropes and with Wyatt, now settled at number four in the order and finally looking like the player that earned several Berkshire caps, in fluent form, the total came down quickly. Marlow skipper Madurasinghe was helpless to stop the flow of runs from the bat as all the bowlers suffered equally. Both batsmen reached their fifties, Ediriweera from 46 balls, Wyatt from 66 and the only things likely to threaten the Thatcham victory was the weather or bad light ! Neither materialised though and Wyatt finished the job in spectacular fashion, smashing Churchill Brown out of the ground for 6 to get his side to 210-2 in just 35 overs and a totally emphatic victory.

North Maidenhead top the table with 157 points, Thatcham now lie in 2nd spot on 131 points with Marlow a further 11 points back in 3rd on 120.
Saturdays visitors to Thatcham are 4th placed Harefield who dropped points against Basingstoke 2’s, only picking up 14 points from a drawn game with the bottom side.
Traditionally a tough game for Thatcham, Harefield boast some quality players, with Richard Macleod and Akshay Reddy heading up a powerful batting line-up and Chris Lee providing menace with the new ball.
Unbeaten leaders North Maidenhead entertain ‘hit and miss’ Amersham with Thatcham hoping that the visitors have one of their ‘good’ weeks and halt the North Maidenhead charge.

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 2 wickets
0
210		        
Bradman Ediriweera Not Out  85
James Ettridge Lbw  33
Matthew Denness Caught  0
Steve Wyatt Not Out  85
Chris Wright   1
James Theunissen   1
Andy Harland  
Robb Fraser  
James Theunissen  
Nick Bishop  
Chris Bird  

Marlow Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Marlow Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 7 wickets
0
206 (0.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Bradman Ediriweera12.0147147.003.92
James Theunissen11.0242142.003.82
Nick Bishop11.033849.503.45
Andy Harland5.002500.005.00
Duncan Johnson7.0039139.005.57
Chris Bird2.00900.004.50

  • Umpire :
    Panel
  • Scorer :
    Peter Edgcombe