BACKReport by Fingers
Blimey there are some good batsmen in this division. Most of the senior games I’ve played this year have been dominated by the ball, no batting side has really imposed themselves and gone on to make a big score. The reverse has been the case in u15’s cricket; I used to think 120 was a decent score.
After the dynamic batting of the Falkland openers this time it was the turn of Donnelly opening the batting for Thatcham, at least his partner Warburton was more subdued even though he did go on to make it to an excellent fifty off the final ball of the innings. On a decent batting surface and a lightning fast outfield batting first was always likely to be the choice of the captain winning the toss; Donnelly won the toss for Thatcham and rushed off to put his pads on.
At the half way point of the Thatcham innings the score was at 92-0 (exactly the same score that Falkland had achieved at the same point) with Donnelly very much in charge. There was no obvious weakness, the short ball was powerfully pulled or cut and the fuller length fluently driven. Just as the Thatcham contingent on the boundary were asking themselves if he had scored a century before he nicked one from Bowana to Ian behind the stumps for 90; an innings that included 13 fours and 3 sixes.
The batting that followed from Thatcham couldn’t compete with this and whilst the scoreboard kept ticking along it was not at the pace previously. The Thatcham innings closed at 169-3.
Whilst we didn’t win the game what followed was probably the best innings ever played in a colt’s match by a T&T player. When Ashley was run out in the fifth over with the score on 25 Louis strode to the crease. He doesn’t look like the obvious person to despatch an attack to all parts of the ground but when the first ball was savagely cut for four and the second driven through extra cover a few people sat up.
After Phil went there was a flurry of wickets but this didn’t make any difference to Louis, the ball continued to go to all parts of the ground off all the bowlers. Useful support came from Buster as he and Louis put on 41 for the sixth wicket and Louis reached fifty for the first time. That wasn’t the end of it though as he carried on as before. He finally finished up on 80no that included 16 fours; not bad considering he didn’t walk to the crease until the middle of the fifth over. (Yes, I know he probably should have opened. You’re not the first person to say that.)
The T&T innings closed on 127-6 which looks a decent score and you would settle for most times. Batting second though there is only one decent score, and that’s more than they got.
Thatcham Town 169-3 (T Donnelly 90, C Warburton 50no, B Broadley 1-1, B Lwana 1-26)
Theale and Tilehurst 127-6 (L Jarvis 80no, M Tilling 2-27)