Full Match Scorecard
A weakened Narks team was scuppered by the weather in their relegation battle with Windsor. The players came off for rain after 36 overs of the first innings, the match then being reduced to 84 overs. There is no Duckworth/Lewis in the Thames Valley League, consequently rain affected matches generally only have one winner, the side batting second.
Stand-in skipper, Graham Dare, had opted to bat first on winning the toss, showing great confidence in the weather forecast. Rain was on the way, and the Wooburn team were not expecting to field for too long. There were also only 8 Wooburn players at ther ground when the toss took place, which may also have had an impact.
With a weakened line up it was vital that the innings got off to a good start. Windsor\s attack was one of the best we had faced this season, with plenty of pace and movement off the pitch. This, and fears over the length of the tail, inspired the Wooburn openers, Rob Smith (31) and Alan Cuthbert (61) to post a century opening stand, although both then fell in quick succession.
Rich Harman and Dave Pidgeon, swapping golf clubs for bat, then looked to launch a late attack on the bowling, when the light rain became more persistent, forcing the players from the field. A lengthy delay ensured, and when play restarted the Wooburn innings had been reduced to 44 overs. A late flurry took the score to 182, but with 40 overs to get the runs, Windsor were firm favourites.
The wet conditions were loaded in favour of the batsmen. The pitch did its usual trick of becoming a batting paradise, with hardly a ball moving off line, and the ball became a sponge, soaking up the rain. Chorley was aggressive from the start, clubbing three sixes in his 63, while Chana grafted for his 60.
There was time of Dawson to give a big nick to the wicket-keeper and, not only be given not out, but also to have the cheek to bat on. What a tinker! However, soon after he sheepishly gave a catch to Chris Silverton at point. It later transpired that the umpire was upset with one or two lbws earlier in the day. Is this what league cricket has come to?
Windsor eventually got home with plenty of overs to spare. The rain forced one more interruption, but didn\t quite manage to force an abandonment, this game being one of the few to finish across all TVL Divisions.
Relegation now looks a certainty, but the Narks will travel to Maidenhead & Bray in good spirits and determined to enjoy their cricket.
