A dramatic hat-trick by young seamer, Rob Hall, inspired the 2nd XI to a morale-boosting seven wicket victory over Chiswick & Latymer 3rds. Hall’s heroics were followed by a superb opening stand of 207 between Derek Milsom and Paul Cooper as the 2nds completed the win with just three balls to spare.
Chiswick & Latymer opted to bat on winning the toss, and started slowly against the new ball attack of Imran and Hall. Veteran Trevor Woolley, an unlikely opener, was well taken by Milsom at second slip early on, after which Badman and Aziz struggled to get the ball away. John White then induced a leading edge to remove Aziz and leave the visitors 24-2 after 13 overs.
Unfortunately, Wooburn’s change bowlers were unable to maintain the pressure, and captain Suleman, along with a more positive Badman, started to take control. Stand in captain Alan Cuthbert tried in vain to stem the flow of runs, until Badman dragged a ball from Pete Harper into his stumps on 106. Suleman continued on his way in partnership with Cambray, despatching the bad ball with ease, and the score mounted ominously for the Narks. The total reached 195 before Rob Hall came back for his second spell, this time at his favoured end.
Drama followed. With his first ball, Suleman was bowled through the gate, middle stump, for 86. Devenport was immediately rapped on the pad, barely shuffling out of his crease, departing first ball. The dangerous Thakker then similarly edged just in front of the crease, the ball thumping into his front pad and a second lbw appeal was upheld. Three wickets in three balls, and there was more to follow. Cambray was well caught by Milsom at point of Wahleed Hussain, and Hall picked up a fourth wicket when Haq fell to a juggling catch by Mani Sharma. Britto was then brilliantly run out and six wickets had fallen for ten runs and the match turned on its head.
Chiswick’s last wicket pair Subaraman and Seneviratne then frustrated a rejuvenated Wooburn, added a potentially damaging 32 for the last wicket to take the final total to 237-9 and leave the match evenly poised. Hall, the pick of the Wooburn bowlers, finished with magnificent figures of 4-13 from 12 overs.
Milsom and Cooper opened the Wooburn innings and got off to a flier, with the ball disappearing to the boundary with regularly in the first few overs. Both batsmen appeared relatively comfortable at the crease, adjusting well to the slow pitch. As the bowling settled down, they proceeded to show the value of good running between the wickets, and picked up four or five an over simply pushing the ball into gaps and running.
Left behind at the start, Milsom gradually picked up the scoring rate and reached his fifty first, soon followed by Cooper. Chiswick & Latymer rang the changes, but with little impact on the scoring rate. Good running and the occasional boundary kept Wooburn right up with the required rate and Chiswick looked a beaten side. Milsom, having turned down a tight second run on 99, completed an excellent 100, but with thoughts turning to record partnerships he fell to a smart catch at short cover.
As often happens after long partnerships, Cooper quickly followed for a well crafted 80, and Chiswick had two new batsmen at the crease. However, with plenty of wickets in hand, Wooburn remained favourites and despite the loss of Cuthbert, they edged home when Angus Porter drove the winning boundary with just three balls remaining.
