Theale & Tilehurst Friendly XI vs Holyport 24th April  2005

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Report by Fingers

For the second week running James lost the toss but the opposition chose to bat at a time of year when it's more usual to put the other side in. This was a strong Holyport side with six of their first team regulars playing. The last ball of each of the first two overs went to the boundary to suggest a strong start but the first breakthrough came in the third over when Fowler was caught at short extra cover off Osman.

A partnership quickly developed between Price and the fluent Messina before Os again made a breakthrough bowling Messina with one that cut back off the seam. The third wicket to fall was that of Price who became Arsalan's first wicket in senior cricket, a moment to be proud off even if it was a wide ball dragged back on to the stumps.

The middle of the innings was well contained and as the batsman looked to be more aggressive in the latter overs Imran was able to pick up three wickets with a clever mix of pace and flight, Ed taking two further catches behind the stumps to keep up his good form at the start of the season.

A couple of late sixes by Davies boosted the Holyport total to 148 which at tea was considered to be a very competitive total.

The key to chasing totals of 140-150 in a straight 40 over game is to keep wickets in hand, even if you only score at two an over for the first twenty overs you only need five an over from there on to get home and hopefully you have at least one batsman who has played himself in.

Things didn't start very well with James being bowled by the second ball of the innings. Cameron and Phil were able to make the start of a recovery taking the score to 33 before Cameron was dismissed by a very good diving one handed catch by Osinski at square leg.

There then followed a bizarre sequence with each of the next four batsman being dismissed on the eleventh ball faced, three of these to the young leg spinner Butt. This left T&T in a degree of trouble with the score 83-6 in the 27th over.

Meady was going very well though. At the start of his innings he asked to swap bats having broken his without having hit a ball in anger; Spike kindly offered Meady the services of his. Now, those of us who have played with Spike had assumed that it was he that had a preference for the horizontal bat strokes through mid wicket. However, having got off to a slow start Meady's innings suddenly came to life with a change of bat as in quick succession he pulled three balls for four and another for six. It would seem that the bat has a mind of its own and it is the bat that has the preference for the leg side.

Back to the game, Fingers successfully survived his eleventh ball and having got this obstacle out the way the partnership was able to progress with Meady the lead player. One shot in particular when he came down the wicket to strike a large six over long off was undoubtedly the shot of the day.

The scoring rate was well under control for the batting side and even the return of the opening bowlers was not able to stem the tide or get Holyport the wicket that they desperately needed. Deservedly it was Meady who struck the winning run to leave him 78 not out and the partnership between him and Fingers undefeated on 66.

Holyport seemed very disappointed to have lost this game, the horses in the neighbouring paddock also seemed to have taken defeat badly. They all had long faces at the end anyway. This was a good win for the Sunday side and a very good all round performance; hopefully it is the shape of things to come.