Scorecard

Basingstoke 2nds v Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday on Sat 17 Jul 2004 at 1.30pm
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Lost 61 runs

Match report There was a big shock at May’s Bounty Basingstoke on Saturday as Thatcham’s promotion hopes suffered a massive setback with a 61 run defeat at the hands of Basingstoke’s lowly second string.

While runaway leaders North Maidenhead were successfully hauling in Harefield’s 239-5 to bag another 20 points, Basingstoke’s Rob Bowen took 5-46 to bowl out Thatcham, who could only manage a meagre 6 points and the gap between 1st and 2nd spot now stands at 40 points with just 7 games left of the season to play.

Thatcham skipper Duncan Johnson desperately needed to call correctly and give his side the chance to bat first and get a 25 point win, but he called wrong and it was Basingstoke who decided to have first dig. Quick wickets were once again paramount and strike bowler James Theunissen provided just that, as he accounted for Leese and Vinn in a deadly opening spell of 6 overs in which he returned 2-5. Experienced campaigners Steve Dummer and Mark Richards added 40 for their side before Johnson, who had replaced Theunissen, nailed Richards with a quicker arm ball, which he nicked and was well taken by Chris Wright behind the sticks. Dummer continued to profit however and he had reached 44 before trying to hit Johnson over long on for six, only to find the safe hands of James Theunissen and at 87-4 at the halfway point, Thatcham could be well pleased with the way the game was progressing. Lampkin and Taylor then produced the partnership of the match, neither looking particularly threatening, but accumulating runs steadily as Johnson switched his bowlers round with no reward. The stand was finally broken by a great piece of work by Robb Fraser at deep square, Taylor took on his arm for two and was left stranded, but he had done a great job for his side and his 26 runs and partnership with Lampkin of 79 had put the home side in good shape for a final assault. Lampkin reached a deserved 50 from 78 balls and was joined by Williams who struggled for 8 before becoming Johnson’s third victim of the afternoon. Basingstoke were 194-6 through 50 overs but then added a further 10 runs from the penultimate over from Bradman Ediriweera and a further 12 runs from the final over of the innings from Johnson to leave them at 217-6 from the 52, Lampkin with an unbeaten 73 and skipper Keith Harsham 10 not out. In hindsight it probably would have been better for Johnson to have turned to Theunissen to bowl the last few overs in tandem with Ediriweera, as although the Thatcham skipper took 3 wickets from his 15 overs, they were at a high cost of 73 runs and Theunissen was the pick of the visitors attack, finishing with 2-29 from his 11 overs, and his pace would surely have nullified the runs more than his skippers slow left armers at the end of the innings.

The Thatcham dressing room was still full of optimism at tea though, as 217 was definitely achievable on a good pitch offering little assistance to seam or spin.
Ediriweera and James Ettridge walked out to face the experience of Rob Bowen and Keith Harsham and on their own patch, the two bowled a super line and length to frustrate the visitors reply. Harsham lured Ediriweera into a loose drive outside the off stump and Taylor took a smart catch in the gully to dismiss the dangerous Sri Lankan for 5 and with runs at a premium, Ettridge fell for 6, trying to hit Harsham over the top and only succeeding in finding the safe hands of Lampkin at wide mid-off. It was an uncharacteristic shot from the normally patient left hander and at 18-2 from the first 10 overs, the visitors were in some trouble. A partnership was desperately needed, but more big shots followed, Matt Denness edging Bowen to Richards at slip for 10 and with Chris Wright joining Steve Wyatt, the last of the recognised Thatcham batsmen were together and something special was required. Wyatt and Wright added a useful 37 runs and were going well when Vinn struck Wyatt on the pads and umpire Pounds thought about it, and to Thatcham’s dismay, raised the finger to end Wyatt’s innings at 27. This rocked the Thatcham reply and with the rate well behind the clock, Johnson sent Theunissen in to try and hit the reply back on track and
although his first delivery screamed to the fence, Bowen was too clever for him and bowled him for 6. Another big shot about Wright’s dismissal, as the innoculous medium pace of Vinn picked up another wicket, Wright mis-timing to Harsham at mid-on and when Johnson fell lbw to Bowen without scoring the innings was in ruin.
Andy Harland was next to go, Vinn picking up his third wicket, Taylor pouching a second catch in the gully and Thatcham were 98-8 from 30 overs. Basingstoke hadn’t reckoned with the spirit of Robb Fraser and Nick Bishop though, and the two set about getting the reply back on track and giving their side hope and they batted superbly together, taking advantage of anything loose and pushing the total ever closer to the target. Vinn and Parfitt were struggling to keep them in check and in an attempt to break the partnership, Harsham turned back to Bowen and he didn’t disappoint. With Thatcham at 155-8 from 38 overs, needing a further 61 runs from the last 10 overs for an unlikely victory, Bowen struck for Basinstoke. He bowled Bishop for a fine 31 and then wrapped up the innings by bowling last man Tim Mahoney without scoring, leaving a distraught Fraser on 29 not out and the Thatcham camp in astonished silence. Fraser and Bishop added 62 runs in a stand which had given their side so much hope, but ultimately fell short and the visitors were left to rue some poor shot selection by the senior batsmen in the side, although some credit must go to Bowen, who bowled beautifully for his 5-46 reward and also to Harsham, who picked up 2-20 from a tidy opening spell which set the tone for the innings. Vinn was the other wicket taker for the home side, picking up 3-68 from 9 expensive overs, but it didn’t matter to Basinstoke, they had done the job and got the wickets and had secured 25 precious points in their quest for Division 1 survival.

Thatcham entertain High Wycombe 2’s on Saturday at Brownsfield and nothing short of an unbeaten run to the end of the season will suffice if they are make the step up to the Home Counties Feeder League Division structure. Chris Bird and Pete Edgcombe will hopefully return to the side for the weekend, James Ettridge will skipper the side as Duncan Johnson is unavailable.

Ultimately the prize is still there for the taking for Thatcham, there are still 175 points up for grabs, but a repeat performance of Saturday is not even thinkable and they also need some help from the cricketing God’s in hoping that leaders North Maidenhead somehow slip up at least twice in the last 7 games !

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
156		        
Bradman Ediriweera Caught  5
James Ettridge Caught  6
Matthew Denness Caught  10
Steve Wyatt Lbw  27
Chris Wright Caught  19 1
James Theunissen Bowled  6 1
Duncan Johnson Lbw  0
Andy Harland Caught  9
Robb Fraser Not Out  29
Nick Bishop Bowled  31
Tim Mahoney Bowled  0

Basingstoke 2nds Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Basingstoke 2nds Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 6 wickets
0
217 (0.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 1XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Bradman Ediriweera12.034200.003.50
James Theunissen11.0429214.502.64
Nick Bishop9.032700.003.00
Duncan Johnson15.0173324.334.87
Tim Mahoney5.012400.004.80

  • Umpire :
    Panel
  • Scorer :
    M Fraser