The 2nd XI secured a much-needed victory over relegation strugglers Hampton Hill, coming out on top by 94 runs. Leading wicket taker, Pete Harper, was once again the destroyer with 5-28, ably supported by Imran Ishaq’s 3-23, following a solid batting effort.
Wooburn opted to bat on winning the toss, on a very dry pitch at Hampton Hill. The youthful Rose provided a real cutting edge for the home team bowling with good pace, while Butt steadily trundled away at the other end, giving little away. John White went early, well taken at second slip by Blyth on the drive. Angus Porter, after profiting from two drops by the same fielder, then played on to O’Reilly. Mani Sharma and Alan Cuthbert produced the first partnership of real substance, adding 40 in testing conditions.
A heavy shower drove the players from the pitch with Wooburn 51-2 in the 21st over. Soon after the restart, Rose was recalled to the attack, and quickly accounted for Sharma, bringing one back through the gate. Chris Hall, desperately out of touch early on, survived a difficult spell, but it was Cuthbert who departed next, playing all round a straight ball after making 35. Rose then removed Stuart Savage and Rob Furlong in quick succession, and 97-3 had become 98-6. Imran Ishaq then joined Hall in a partnership of 56 for the seventh wicket, rescuing Wooburn from a perilous position.
A deer briefly interrupted proceedings, strolling majestically onto the outfield to take up a position at deep mid wicket, before moving on to pastures new. Not to be distracted, Ishaq was in excellent form, hitting seven sweet boundaries in his 39, before he unfortunately put a full toss down deep square leg’s throat. A disappointing end to a fluent knock. Hall was now beginning to find some form, and in partnership with Wahleed Hussain, helped push the Narks total near to 200. The pair added a quickfire 36 before Hussain sacrificed his wicket for the cause. A couple of scampered twos at the end taking the final total up to 194-8 from the full 52 overs. Hall finished with a determined unbeaten 44 in a good team effort from the Narks. For Hampton Hill, Rose was excellent, picking up 4-53, while Butt bowled steadily in a marathon 21-over stint.
When the Hampton Hill openers started out, it was clear that Deakins’ wicket was the prized one, the home captain having scored the bulk of Hill’s runs this season. Fernando, who batted at 11 in the earlier fixture this season, accompanied him to the crease. White and Hussain opened up for Wooburn, and had a mixed start, White passed the outside edges a number of times, while Hussain struggled to get into a rhythm. Deakins hammered one straight six, but Fernando look less than convincing. It was Hussain who made the initial breakthrough, finding the edge of Fernando\s bat, Harper taking the catch at slip, but not before the Hill openers had added 44.
Harper had just been brought into the attack, and picked up the prized wicket of Deakins in his second over, the batsman driving a full toss to White at mid off, the Wooburn man clinging on to the catch. Imran Ishaq replaced Hussain, and the wickets now began to tumble. Khan got a leading edge to Hussain at mid off, then Blyth and Kelly was despatched in successive balls by Ishaq.
Butt went on the offensive, no defensive shots from him, it was attack all the way. He lost Rice, bowled by Harper, but then smashed 16 off one Ishaq over. Next over, he launched Harper high towards long on. Cuthbert, running round from a wide position, just managed to hang on to the catch, inches inside the boundary. With Butt gone, the end was nigh for Hampton Hill, Rose swung hard at Harper and was stumped, Day was run out, and finally O’Reilly had his off stump knocked out by Ishaq.
A real team effort from the Narks, against admittedly weakened opposition, and a crucial 25 points in their bid to stay in Division 6B.
