Datchet CC 1st xl vs Finchampstead CC 1st xl
Winning the toss Finches batted first opening with Ollie Soames and Greg Smith. All started very well then the first wicket fell in the fourteenth over as Smith was caught in the slips. Soames followed at 78 two overs later LBW to Tom Lambert for his usef
Although Billy Rogers departed at 90 skipper Dan Lincoln and Adam Dewes saw Finches safely to the lunch interval with 146 – 3 on the board in 32 overs. But in the 38th over Lincoln fell caught at mid wicket off Max Stevenson for a good 69. Unaccountably the match changed after the real early promise shown by Finches. With leg spinner Max Stevenson claiming three more wickets and Adam Dewes run out soon after Dan Lincoln was dismissed the middle order collapsed all attempting bold strokes.
Finches were reduced to 181 – 8 in only 43 overs. It was left to some strokes from Zak Jones and sensible last wicket partnership between Connor Corlet and James Woodford to post 225 in 56 overs. Former Finches spinner Max Stevenson took 4 – 25 and Tom Lambert bowled his seam for 13 overs taking 3 – 39.
Given 64 overs Datchet were reduced to 56 – 3 in 15 overs. Jon Barrett was caught in the slips off Connor Corlet then Vi Aeri was run out. Third to go was skipper Steve Naylor well caught at deep square leg by Billy Rogers off spinner James Woodford.
The reversals brought county players James Morris and Joe Thomas to the wicket. They steadily and efficiently built what proved to be a match winning partnership. They put on 130 in 26 overs to see 186 on the board and the comfortable win in sight. Finches used eight bowlers to no avail until in his second spell Connor Corlet bowled James Morris for 54 to finally break the partnership.
No more wickets fell as Bobby Sher cracked the boundaries and Joe Thomas moved to 85 not out and Datchet were home at 226 – 4 and the six wicket success.