Theale & Tilehurst 1st XI vs Sonning 2 14th July 2001

Report by Fingers

In most games the toss doesn't matter, whoever plays the best cricket wins. In some games, though, it matters a great deal and winning the toss can be a crucial advantage. After the rain in the build up to the game this was one when the toss did matter and as it always seems the important ones are lost.

Having been compelled to bat on a helpful pitch for seam bowling we managed to make a good start. Having lost James Codd early giving a simple catch off a ball that stopped Clyde Cutting and Dennis Robertson saw the total to 61-1. However, having set ourselves a good platform to attack the last twenty overs we again lost a quick rush of wickets to leave us 61-4 and then 88-6. At this point Mo Iqbal and Chris Lemm picked up their batting partnership as they have done over each of the last few weeks. Following on from partnerships of 93 and 75 in the last two games Mo and Chris put on an important 40 to give the innings some momentum and allow a total of 165 to be set.

In what were initially trying batting conditions this represented a decent effort but it was apparent as the innings went on and the pitch dried out that batting conditions were becoming easier. What chance a tea time shower to even it back up again?

What was needed to put some pressure back on to Sonning was early wickets and Mo and Chris obliged to leave Sonning at 36-3, both Driver and Waqar playing on to their stumps and Edward Choules taking a good catch to get rid of Tariq. Nerves were then settled for Sonning by Banning and Smith, who played some good aggressive shots but also gave some chances, who put on 47 for the fourth wicket. Just as confidence for Sonning must have been building both batsmen went in rapid succession. Banning went first to a superb caught and bowled by Brian Cooper (ask anyone who saw it) and then Smith to a catch nearly as good by Chris to reward Osman Mahmood who bowled an excellent spell on his call up to the first team. This left Sonning at 81-5 and the game was back in the balance.

Having got right back in to the game Thorpe and Rayfield took it away again for Sonning. Slowly at first they built their partnership but then they became increasingly confident and expansive, particularly Thorpe who made an excellent 60 not out, as they took their side to victory with an unbroken partnership of 86.

Who knows what would have happened if the coin had come down the other way but in reality it was the team that played the better cricket on the day that won in the end.

SCORECARD
Home Team		Theale and Tilehurst						Away Team		Sonning 2
Date of Match		14th July 2001						Played at		Theale

		Team						pts	Result	Team			pts
Result		Sonning 2							beat	Theale and Tilehurst

1st Innings of		Theale and Tilehurst
	Name	How Out			Who			Bowler		4's	6's	Score
1	J Codd	ct			-			P Wilding		2	0	12
2	C Cutting	ct & b						K Smith		2	2	35
3	D Robertson	lbw						L Day		0	0	11
4	M Pyke	ct			-			K Smith		0	0	0
5	E Choules	ct			W Ahmed			K Smith		1	0	7
6	A Johnson	ct			-			K Smith		3	0	19
7	M Iqbal	st			-			S Banning		5	2	39
8	C Lemm	ct			A Driver			S Banning		1	0	13
9	B Cooper	ct			-			L Day		2	0	11
10	P Jenkins	not out								0	0	7
11	O Mahmood	not out								0	0	1
							Byes	0
							Leg Byes	7
							Wides	3
							No Balls	0
									Extras			10

							Wickets	9	Total			165

Bowling			O	M	R	W
1	L Day		17	2	52	2
2	P Wilding		8	2	25	1
3	K Smith		11	2	43	4
4	W Ahmed		6	1	21	0
5	S Banning		3	0	17	2
6
7
8

Fall of Wicket
	Score	Outgoing Bat				Stand of
1	22	1				22
2	61	3				39
3	61	2				0
4	61	4				0
5	82	5				21
6	88	6				6
7	128	8				40
8	157	7				29
9	159	9				2
10




2nd Innings of		Sonning 2
	Name	How Out			Who			Bowler		4's	6's	Score
1	A Driver	bowled						M Iqbal		0	0	2
2	T Sharif	ct			E Choules			M Iqbal		3	0	15
3	W Ahmed	bowled						C Lemm		3	0	16
4	S Banning	ct & b						B Cooper		1	0	10
5	K Smith	ct			C Lemm			O Mahmood		5	1	39
6	N Thorpe	not out								10	1	60
7	S Rayfield	not out								2	0	21
8
9
10
11
							Byes	0
							Leg Byes	3
							Wides	3
							No Balls	0
									Extras			6

							Wickets	5	Total			169

Bowling			O	M	R	W
1	M Iqbal		9	0	52	2
2	C Lemm		9	0	37	1
3	B Cooper		10	3	38	1
4	O Mahmood		6	2	17	1
5	A Johnson		2	0	21	0
6
7
8

Fall of Wicket
	Score	Outgoing Bat				Stand of
1	2	1				2
2	33	3				31
3	36	2				3
4	83	4				47
5	83	5				0
6
7
8
9
10