Wooburn Narkovians 2nd XI snatched a dramatic last gasp victory at Fleet, when Rob Hall took the final wicket with just 3 balls to spare, their third successive victory in this rain affected season.
Wooburn kept with their bat first policy on winning the toss, and started well with Angus Porter and Derek Milsom adding 53 for the first wicket, both batsmen looking in good form. The unfortunate dismissal of Porter did not slow the scoring, and the total reached 98 before Fleet broke through again. Two wicket in two balls temporarily put the visitors on the back foot, but the Narks again looked well placed when Stuart Savage and Graham Dare fell in quick succession.
Milsom, having reached his 50, was now joined by Wahleed Hussain, and the promising all-rounder batted with maturity in a crucial stand of 71 for the sixth wicket. Excellent running between the wickets and good placement kept the score moving, and Milsom continued on to reach his first hundred of the season. The partnership ended when Milsom was unluckily stumped off the wicket-keeper’s pad for a magnificent 118.
A brief cameo from Phil Cuthbert helped Wooburn’s total up to a season’s best 231-8, Hussain finishing unbeaten on 25. For Fleet, both Thorntons stuck at their task well on a good batting pitch.
Wooburn opted to use the old ball when Fleet batted, Matt Paine striking an early blow when Lent was out lbw for 9. At the other end, Dave Jordan consistently beat the outside edge of Gurney’s bat, but without joy in a probing first spell. Phil Cuthbert, in his first appearance of the season, eventually removed Gurney with a yorker.
Winter now joined the dangerous Lee and Fleet began to increase the scoring rate. Lee drove the ball powerfully on his way to a punchy half century, while Winter was also hitting the ball well through the offside. At 131-2 the match looked to be slipping from Wooburn’s grasp, but the suicidal run out of Winter got them back into it, Paine calmly tossing the ball to his keeper with the batsman stranded in the middle of the pitch.
Soon after, Lee inexplicably played all around a straight ball from Graham Dare, and the match was in the balance once again. A few lusty blows from Elston gave Fleet hope, but Jordan deservedly reaped his rewards, picking up three wickets as Fleet struggled to keep up with the required rate.
With just two wickets left, Fleet were now happy to settle for the draw. Wooburn turned to Rob Hall and the youngster did not disappoint. His low trajectory proved the undoing of Newman, who looked to pull a ball that barely bounced. There was nothing lucky about Hall’s second wicket though, a probing good length delivery that Lindsay could only turn into the hands of Hussain at backward short leg, and Wooburn celebrated another unlikely victory in this curious season.
