Match Scorecard

Match Report

Match Report

Wooburn Narkovians 1sts wrapped up their Thames Valley League season with a good win over British Airways 1sts in miserable conditions on Saturday, and in the process came within a whisker of securing an unlikely promotion to Division 3. As events conspired, Wooburn had to settle for third in the table, two points behind Cookham Dean and 17 behind eventual winners Hayes.



Wooburn travelled to BA with what seemed like little more than a theoretical chance of promotion, languishing in sixth place, 20 points adrift of second spot. With the rain threatening to end proceedings at any moment, the visitors chose to bat first and compiled 209-8, a useful total considering the slowness of the outfield. Dave Pidgeon (29) and Paul Cooper (42) gave Wooburn a steady 75-run start, before Andy Tennant (45) added some acceleration in the middle overs and James White (47 not out) steered the batting side past the 200 mark.



Slow bowlers Razi (4-48) and Mann (3-79) had the most success for BA, and Wooburn skipper Dave Small decided that taking the pace off the ball was the way to go. White and Tom Lees started the home side’s innings with the old ball, and it proved to be a good move, with the pair picking up wickets regularly as the BA batsmen went for their shots. Aided by some good catches by Small and the Tennant brothers, the two bowlers secured four wickets each as BA slumped to 77-8. Iqbal and Mann held up the Wooburn charge with a fifty partnership, but Richie Barker made the breakthrough with the new ball and Mark Tennant wrapped up a 64-run victory for the visitors soon after by bowling Iqbal for 42.   



The weather played havoc with the rest of the matches in Division 4A, with all of those affecting the promotion situation either cancelled or played with reduced overs. As it turned out, the key fixture between Cookham Dean and Hayes was abandoned less than five overs from the end of their already rain-shortened game. With the scores as they stood, it seems very likely that if the game had been completed, Wooburn would have finished second in the table, ahead of Cookham.



Nevertheless, a third-place finish represents a fairly creditable performance, considering that the standard of the opposition this year has been much improved by the influx of new teams into the league – a conclusion borne out by the fact that Wooburn have suffered seven defeats this season, more even than when they were relegated in 2002. Wooburn’s final position in the table means that they have finished either third or fourth in Division 4A in each of the last six seasons.