Scorecard

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 2XI- Saturday v Boyne Hill CC 2nd XI on Sat 25 May 2024 at 13:00
Thatcham Town Cricket Club Won by 8 wickets

Match report Silver Trouts Smoke Boyne Hill CC 2nd XI
The Silver Trouts won the toss and elected to bowl, good tactical thinking from the captain given the cool and damp conditions in the build up potentially giving the better bowling conditions up front, with a flattening wicket and drier outfield likely in the late afternoon.
In the changing rooms, and after exchanging some good luck Whatsapps with the travelling Gold Trouts (also known as the Rainbow Trouts with Ben Denton Powell in the team) the ‘kipper hollered - in a way one might expect from someone who often gives instructions while 80 foot up a tree - “oi, is everyone ‘ere?” which is code for “I’m about to give one hell of a motivational speech and you’d better all be ****ing here” (“Where the **** is Ed?”)
With adrenaline seeping out of our gills we took to the field with the opening bowling pair of Olly Thorne and Josh Reeves trusted to make the early incisions in the favourable conditions. Long time trout opponent Tom Mellor opened the innings for the Hill and found the conditions tough, opting to get well forward to smother the attack but offering little in the way of danger. At the other end, Davis was poled by an absolute beauty from Thorne, the ball pitching on middle and straightening off the seam to take the top of off (check out TroutCam highlights). Little did Teckno know that his day, and indeed his weekend, was going to keep getting better. Meanwhile Mellor and no. 3 Wilson steadied the ship and Josh Reeves, determined never to be heckled by the spectators ever again, especially when they’re his own family, bowled one of his best spells since his big money move to Brownsfield Road, unlucky to finish wicketless in a miserly and patient spell of 9-4-15-0. A classic case of bowling in a partnership and using the conditions as Reeves’ frugality - bowling nagging line and length and varying his pace – required something to give as Boyne Hill struggled with their run rate. Younger - and better looking according to BDP – brother Oscar Reeves was introduced into the attack but not before a bizarre incident involving Pricey. When a young fast bowler is given a still-new ball you expect him to be frothing at the mouth like a Pamplona bull and come steaming in like Mitchell Johnson, but after just one over, Kevin Spacey decided he was a fish out of water and with the ‘kipper’s plans falling like a House of Cards, Spacey was withdrawn for later when he could hold his balls with more control. The Usual Suspects resumed as rough diamond Oscar Reeves was introduced, offering the sort of pace and occasional magic that most captains at this level would give one fin for. And priceless it was as Reeves Jr – bowling from the drainage end - opened the flood gates with three consecutive wickets. One of Reeves’ dismissals was an excellent snaffle from keeper Rochy low to his right and not carrying to arthritic Lewie (who can’t catch Covid at the minute, the normally reliable Welshman having dropped an earlier regulation chance,). The catch, which bounced into Rochy’s chest when his elbow hit the turf, was the source of some controversy as Chaudhary stood his ground – indicating with his hand that the ball had been grounded – but the umpires conferred and correctly gave him out, much to his chagrin while Mellor watched helplessly on. Meanwhile, driving instructor Paul Hemming had been introduced at the pavilion end to offer some va va voom. Mellor used his feet to good effect and scored down the ground, taking himself into the 20s.
Normally as wayward as Kanye West, Harvey Weinstein was reintroduced to partner Hemmo and for once bowled with some control in his second spell. The action was happening at the other end though as Hemming had Chahal stumped, the plucky Mellor snaffled by Oscar for 27, and Parker picked out the “Filler” Matty Taylor at cow corner. TaylorTime had come in for grandmaster Tim Mahoney, who still couldn’t walk after 9 overs at Sulhampstead the previous week, and was a welcome addition we’d like to see much more of in 2024. But the best was left for last, as the returning Thorne removed Martin Preston, who at 8 had top scored with a quick 29 in an annoying little partnership with Bhanot, the two were both the wrong side of 50 but were pinching singles to fielders more than half their age as for the first time in the match the trouts were swum a bit ragged. With the partnership broken, Teckno followed up by bowling Abraham first ball, and then with all the fielders closing in for the hattrick ball and with extra slips in place, OT poled Hayes to complete his first ever triple feat, made more entertaining in two ways: 1. The alert and watchful Harley Sheridan-Hawkins didn’t know it was a hattrick, and 2. the fact that the no. 11 tried to smash it into Beverley Close despite the very competent Bhanot was not out 12 at the other end and over 6 overs were remaining. “Why’d he do dat?” Thorne finished with career best figures of 4/25, while Oscar Reeves took 3/22 and Hemming 3/35.
With most of the trouts watching the astonishing scenes at Wembley, with United somehow 2-0 up against City in the cup final, Mather and Lewis headed out to chase the small target of 132. The ‘kipper took the attack to the oppo, playing positively and unleashing the now-familiar powerful straight drive for four. Lewie – who did remember to pack his paracetamol this week - received a short, wide long hop and managed to edge it to Davis who took a smart catch stood up to the stumps to depart for 18. Emerging allrounder Spacey – not short of nicknames but making the suggestion himself that ‘Jeffrey Epstein’ could be another one - joined the captain and chewed his way to 12 before being poled by another long hop (we really should charge for entry to Brownsfield). Rochy came in at 4 and managed to stick Abraham over square leg for 6, while Mather pumped the same bowler over his head for 6 more (flexing his biceps to the watching ladies). Only Bhanot, who bowled through for figures of 9-1-21-0 offered any danger as the trouts cruised to victory by 8 wickets in just 28 overs (Mather 60*, Rochy 21*), and sit proudly with 3 wins from 3. Long may this salmon[id] run continue.
DoD: H McKay
MoM: O Thorne

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 2XI- Saturday Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 19w 3lb 
for 2 wickets
24
135		        
Simon Lewis ct P Davis b T Chahal 18 36 2 50.0
Tommy Mather Not Out  60 61 6 1 98.36
Harvey Mackay b M Chaudhary 12 46 1 26.09
Chris Rochfort Not Out  21 27 2 1 77.78 1 1
Harley Sheridan-Hawkins   1
Eddie Wylie   1
Matt Taylor   1
Paul Hemming  
Olly Thorne  
Joshua Reeves  
Oscar Reeves   1

Boyne Hill CC 2nd XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Chetan Bhanot9.012100.002.33
Callum Hayes4.002600.006.50
Tejas Chahal4.0021121.005.25
Manish Chaudhary6.0033133.005.50
Steve Abraham5.003100.006.20

Boyne Hill CC 2nd XI Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
21w 5lb 
for 10 wickets
26
131 (38.4 overs)		     
Tom Mellor ct O Reeves b P Hemming 27 72 1 37.50
Paul Davis b O Thorne 1 9 11.11
Benjamin Wilson b O Reeves 15 41 36.59
Rob Morgan ct H Sheridan-Hawkins b O Reeves 6 9 1 66.67
Manish Chaudhary ct C Rochfort b O Reeves 0 8 0
Tejas Chahal st C Rochfort b P Hemming 4 21 19.05
Charlie Parker ct M Taylor b P Hemming 11 17 1 64.71
Martin Preston ct E Wylie b O Thorne 29 31 3 93.55
Chetan Bhanot Not Out  12 24 50.0
Steve Abraham b O Thorne 0 1 0
Callum Hayes b O Thorne 0 1 0

Thatcham Town Cricket Club Thatcham 2XI- Saturday Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Olly Thorne7.402546.253.26
Joshua Reeves9.041500.001.67
Harvey Mackay5.002300.004.60
Oscar Reeves7.012237.333.14
Paul Hemming9.0035311.673.89
Harley Sheridan-Hawkins1.00600.006.00