BACKReport by Anon
In a scintillating semi final T & T got home by just 5 runs. The game ebbed an flowed as T & T having won the toss got off to a flying start with 25 of the first 2 overs. Sandhurst then came back and slowed the run rate and took 5 quick wickets. Lemm & Cumming then started the recovery with a stand of 16. After Lemm was dismissed there were partnerships of 18, 16 and 16 before Cumming unselfishly run himself out going for a suicidal second run in the final over, top scoring with 32.
On a good wicket this did not look like a total that could be easily defended. In contrast to T & T's start, Sandhurst could not have got off to a worse start losing 2 wickets for just 8 runs in the first 2 overs.
Then Aaron Shallom set about the bowling and despite losing wickets at the other end Sandhurst quickly put themselves in a position to win the match. Having hit both spinners for a six Shallom tried it again an was well caught on the boundary. This was the fifth wicket down but only a further 35 were required from the last six overs. Here Cumming and Cooper put the brakes on with some accurate spin bowling in the fading light.
In the final over thirteen were required to win but despite a valiant effort by captain Pharoh, his opposite number Cooper kept his cool and managed to bowl three dot balls before going for only seven.
An exciting game that could have gone either way was played in a good spirit.
Innings of Theale & Tilehurst
J Codd c Pharoh b Shallom 22
D Robertson c Edwards b Shallom 4
A Johnson b Coxwell 4
M Mason b Coxwell 0
M Iqbal Run Out 2
C Lemm c Pharoh b Heathcote 14
D Cumming Run Out 32
N Halliday b Pharoh 2
R Puri c Edwards Heathcote 10
B Cooper Not Out 13
P Jenkins Not Out 0
Extras 5
Total 108
Bowling
A Shallom 4-1-19-2 S Coxwell 4-0-28-2
A Heathcote 4-0-32-2 M Pharoh 4-1-27-1
Sandhurst Innings
E Tapper c Cooper b Iqbal 2
A Shallom c Robertson b Cooper 58
A Heathcote b Lemm 0
P Hadfield c Halliday b Lemm 4
M Edwards c Cooper b Lemm 3
K Speakman c Lemm b Cooper 3
C Watson LBW b Cumming 2
M Pharoh Not Out 16
T Blundell Run Out 1
S Coxwell Not Out 5
Extras 9
Total 103
Bowling
M Iqbal 3-0-22-1 C Lemm 4-0-12-3
A Jonson 1-0-14-0 D Cumming 4-0-25-1
B Cooper 4-0-24-2