Inability to bowl out inferior opposition cost the 1st XI victory once again, as Stoke Green 2nds batted out the last 10 overs for a draw.
Batting first, the Narks had the worst of the conditions on a damp seamer friendly pitch. There was plenty of movement, and variable pace and bounce, which helped Stoke Green\s medium pacers. After the early loss of Dave Rogers, Ian Cuthbert and Frank White gave the innings a solid start.
After Ian was bowled, wickets fell steadily against some innocuous bowling, and skipper Dave Pidgeon faced the task of rebuilding the innings. Gerry Tennant stuck around for a while, before brother Martin bravely defied pain and nausea to help add 60 for the eight wicket. Excellent running between the wickets provided the main feature, before a suicidal run out in the penultimate over.
A final total of 208 gave maximum batting points, and was a good effort in difficult conditions. Hussain managed to take 5 wickets for Stoke Green.
The home team\s reply started badly, Cordery surprisingly given out lbw to Mark Tennant. Clive Bourne and Elderfield then put up stout resistance against some fine bowling by Gerald. At the other end, Pidge rang the changes, but as the pitch eased, the breakthrough just would not come. In the end, it needed a run out. Elderfield obligingly stopping the ball with his bat for Andy Tennant, before setting off for a suicidal run.
Bourne then fell to Rob Rogers\ sucker punch, the waist high full toss, and was caught at deep backward square leg by Andy T. For a while Wooburn had hope of something better than mere bonus points. Sadly, it was not to be, and Stoke Green\s tail comfortably batted out the last 10 overs on a benign pitch. They did manage to rouse themselves to reach 150, and secure that \important\ extra bonus point that could make all the difference.
The match was notable for the Wooburn team containing nine brothers, although not all from the same family, obviously. This may not be a record, but it must be close. Other points of interest were Smally backing a loser in the Derby, and then missing the start of the greyhound racing at Wimbledon. Flushed with his Race Night success, is he now on the slippery slope? Let\s hope not.
