Scorecard

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday v Harefield on Sat 03 Jul 2004 at 1.30pm
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Won 10 wickets

Match report The 26 point gap that separates Thatcham from leaders North Maidenhead is still there at the half way point in the Thames Valley League season as both sides picked up another 20 point haul in their respective games on Saturday. With a maximum 225 points still up for grabs, it promises to be a close run thing as to who gets the one promotion place up to the Home Counties divisions.
While North Maidenhead were making hard work of chasing Amersham’s 175, eventually getting there for the loss of 6 wickets with 5 balls remaining, Thatcham openers Bradman Ediriweera and James Ettridge were sharing a 245 run opening partnership to destroy close rivals Harefield to give their side a massive morale boosting 10 wicket victory and send out a huge warning signal to the rest of the League about Thatcham’s title aspirations.
Skipper Duncan Johnson won another toss, inserted the visitors and Richard McLeod and Sam Foley strode out and immediately signalled their intention as the normally subdued McLeod struck three boundaries of Ediriweera’s first over ! Things then quietened down as, together with James Theunissen, Ediriweera got back on track as Harefield moved through the first 10 overs with 36 on the board without loss.
Andy Harland replaced Ediriweera and the change was to reap an immediate reward as he bowled McLeod for 26 to give his side a vital breakthrough. This bought the talented Akshay Reddy to the crease and together with Foley, put on 91 before Chris Bird got one to turn and Chris Wright produced a great piece of glovework to whip the bails off with Reddy out of his crease and back on his way for a fine 34. McConnon and Foley added a further 49, before Foley fell to Theunissen for 74 and the visitors were 171-3 from 42 overs and in good shape for a last 10 over blitz with wickets in hand. Nick Bishop got rid of McConnon for 24 though, another stumping for Wright and this bought Cam Faulkner to the crease and he and Dan Lyall added a quickfire 25 before Faulkner fell to Ediriweera, well caught at deep mid-on by James Ettridge for 19. Lyall was next to depart, Ediriweera again the successful bowler and that was the last success Thatcham were to enjoy as Webb and Lee hoisted their side up to 244-6 from the 52 overs and a good competitive total.
The wickets were shared around the Thatcham bowlers, Andy Harland the pick with 1-26 from his 8 overs and he was backed up by James Theunissen 1-72 from 16, Ediriweera 2-42 from 9, Chris Bird 1-45 from 10 and Nick Bishop 1-44 from his 9.
It was probably the worst bowling display of a pretty good season with the ball from the Thatcham attack and Harefield would have been pretty content at tea with the score on the board.
Any complacency Harefield may have had was out of the window after 10 overs however as Brad Ediriweera and James Ettridge moved confidently to 49 without loss against the Harefield openers Faulkner and Fazio. Harefield skipper Nick Lines looked to his talisman Chris Lee, so often the scourge of Thatcham with countless
‘five for’s’ against the Berkshire side. Both batsmen just layed into him from the off
though, his first 4 overs going for 38 runs and he was immediately withdrawn from
the attack. Harefield had no answer, Ediriweera raced firstly to his 50, then his maiden League century for his side, the amiable Sri Lankan just chancelessly placing balls at will into the ever widening gaps on a lightning fast Brownsfield outfield.
Ettridge reached his first League fifty of the season in fine style and it was only a matter of time before the victory was complete with the visitors heads down and completely shellshocked. Ediriweera reached his 150 and the end was in sight, Lee was bought back into attack for more punishment and even Richard McLeod bowled as skipper Lines tried to get a breakthrough. Neither batter gave anything away though, Ediriweera a peerless 163 not out and Ettridge 72 not out saw their side home by 10 wickets and 20 points, Harefield picking up 9 points from their defeat.
It was a unbelievable chase from the Thatcham openers and not one chance was offered to Harefield throughout the 36 overs it took to get the runs. Ediriweera hit 25 fours and 5 sixes in his knock and Ettridge hit 14 fours, so the total of runs in boundaries from the Thatcham chase was 186 !! 75% of the total !! That gives you some indication of the form of the two at the crease.
The normally buoyant Chris Lee will have a hard time forgetting figures of 8 overs 0-82 !!!

Thatcham entertain the bottom side Marlow Park on Saturday at Brownsfield and will be hoping for more of the same.
Both James Ettridge and Chris Bird are unavailable for the game and Pete Edgcombe is still a few weeks away from a full recovery.

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 0 wickets
0
245		        
Bradman Ediriweera Not Out  163
James Ettridge Not Out  72 1
Steve Wyatt   1
Chris Wright   2
Robb Fraser   1
Duncan Johnson  
Andy Harland  
Robb Fraser  
James Theunissen  
Nick Bishop  
Chris Bird  

Harefield Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Harefield Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 6 wickets
0
244 (0.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Bradman Ediriweera9.0142221.004.67
James Theunissen16.0372172.004.50
Andy Harland8.0226126.003.25
Chris Bird10.0245145.004.50
Nick Bishop9.0244144.004.89

  • Umpire :
    Panel
  • Scorer :
    Ian Martin