TABASAM GOES ON THE ATTACK
Wooburn Narkovians 2nds ended their Thames Valley League season on a winning note, with a nail-biting two wicket victory over Bagshot 2nds.
Bagshot won the toss and decided to bat in ideal batting conditions. Tim Waxman made an early breakthrough trapping Haynes lbw. Runs were hard to come by against Waxman and Tabasam, both bowlers using the Bagshot slope intelligently. Tabasam eventually removed Dawson with a yorker that the batsman could only play onto his stumps. Richard Barker then came into the attack, removing Rice and Robinson with successive balls. Brown survived the hat-trick, but soon fell to a diving catch by Adam Chivers behind the wicket.
Phil Day then struck, Baker falling to another fine catch by Chivers, this time off the inside edge. Meanwhile Clark had been grafting away at the other end, holding the innings together. He had reached 48 when he hammered a full toss from Day towards mid-off. Tabasam, moving quickly to his right, stuck out a hand, and caught the ball at full stretch just above the turf. It was a miraculous catch, and Clark could not quite believe it. Atkinson and Budd bolstered the totalwith some clean hitting, before Paul Cuthbert cleaned up the tail. The Bagshot innins ended on 135.
Wooburn\s openers began slowly against accurate bowling from Clark and Robinson. Alan Cuthbert went early, holing out to deep mid-off. Dave Rogers was then run out going for a sharp single to cover. This left Wooburn on 18-2 off 15 overs. Tabasam now joined Rob Smith, and the recovery began. Tabasam, heavily criticised last week, applied himself well, taking time to play himself in. Once he had the measure of the bowling, he went on the attack. He was particularly severe on anything short, rocking back and crashing the ball through the covers. Smith settled into the anchor role. The pair took the score to 93, before Tabasam was caught at slip for an excellent 53.
A middle order collapse ensued. Paul Cuthbert departed without troubling the scorers, and Rob Smith\s innings ended when he played all around a full toss. Richard Barker lifted Wooburn spirits, hitting two fours and a six, but was then caught and bowled by Brown. When Waxman was given out lbw to Robinson, Wooburn had collapsed to 108-7. Adam Chivers took 10 off one Brown over to ease the pressure, but was then bowled by Robinson attempting a big legside hit. Dave Appleby nervously made his way out to the middle with nine still required.
Phil Day nudged a couple of singles, and five were needed as Brown prepared to start a new over to Appleby. Surrounded by close catchers, Appleby swung the bat at the first ball, slicing it over point for two. He then played the same shot at the next, this time crashing it through the covers for the winning runs.
Maidenhead Advertiser
