Theale & Tilehurst 1st XI vs Finchampstead 3rd XI

5th September 2009

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Report by Fingers.

The final game of the season and two points needed to guarantee promotion.  This created a strange sort of pressure as we knew this should be a formality but nothing should be taken for granted; although in practice it could be as with Odiham batting first against Hurst promotion was ours before the game had started.  The other event that this game should be noted for is it marking Eddie’s fiftieth playing season at Theale with a recall to the 1sts; a tremendous achievement and demonstration of commitment and loyalty to Theale and then Theale and Tilehurst CC.  Eddie went out for the toss and as per instructions on winning elected to field; the 1st XI formula of we’ll score one more than you being applied to the end. 

Biggs and Clarke got the Finch innings off to a good start and there was an early problem for T&T when Weston broke down in his fifth over.  It was some time before the first wicket fell when Jamil took a catch to dismiss Biggs and celebrated as if that was good enough for two points and promotion.  A second wicket soon followed when Phil stumped Bazley off Bondy and we were half way towards our target. 

Clarke though carried on batting well and reached a well deserved hundred.  As he tried to up the scoring rate he went to a catch at long on that people will be hearing talking about for some time to come.  Treading a precarious line around the boundary edge and with the ball some way over the line (some have mentioned already in the car park) it was plucked from the air and dragged back in to the field of play for a sensational catch.  With time running out the fourth wicket was proving elusive.  Lemmy was reintroduced in to the attack and finally yorked McLean to give us the second point we needed; cue relief as much as anything else.  With Davey also having played very well and having just missed out on his hundred (and Bondy bowling very well and just missing out on his hundred) the Finch innings closed on 249-4 from 52 overs. 

Following tea which included a celebration cake for Eddie it was he and Cat that went out to open the T&T innings.  Things didn’t start too well when J Clarke yorked Cat and Wiggy proved he’s no sentimentalist when he ran out Eddie.  Wiggy and Jamil made good starts but neither could go on to play the big innings required.  Fortunately lurking down the order was Dibble in one of his all too few appearances this season. 

At 140-6 things didn’t appear too promising.  A fifty partnership between Dibble and Lemmy made the score respectable but with seven wickets down and 8 an over needed it still looked a tall order.  As Dibble went past fifty he took increasing control of the situation and with the support of Weston managed to maintain the rate required.  At the start of the final over five were needed and from the second ball of the over Dibble finished the game with a large six over mid wicket. 

At the start of the season we would probably have settled for a top half finish and consolidation.  As it is we have won 13 of the 15 games we have finished (winning 8 from 8 at home) and secured successive promotions.  Congratulations in particular to Cat for his superb leadership of the team.  Again it has been a magnificent all round team effort with all members of the team making match winning contributions somewhere in the season, typified on the last day by Dibble’s match winning innings. 

Thanks also to those who supported the team through scoring, umpiring and the like during the season; particularly Pete, Dicko and John.  Division 3 will present new challenges next year; the differing fortunes of the promoted teams in to the division last year show that we will need to improve again if we are to compete at that level.