DAY LIGHTS UP WOOBURN
A superb spell of medium pace bowling by Phil Day gave Wooburn Narkovians 2nd XI an important victory over Hampton Hill in the Thames Valley League Division 3. On a wicket that favoured batting, Day managed to achieve considerable movement which, along with subtle changes of pace, troubled all the Hill batsmen.
The foundations of Wooburn\s success were laid by Rob Smith (82) and Dave Rogers (93), who put together a huge opening stand of 180. Smith passed fifty for the third week running, and was well supported by Rogers, returning to the team after injury. Both played carefully at the start, gradually increasing the tempo as Wooburn looked for an early declaration. Smith eventually went leg before, and soon after, a tired Rogers fell just short of a deserved century, giving Longley a return catch. Alan Cuthbert and Andy Tennant kept the score moving along, Tennant hitting one huge six over long on. The declaration came after 46 overs, leaving Hampton Hill a target of 248 in 54 overs.
The visitors struggled from the start against the probing bowling of Day (6-74), who bowled magnificently and was often far too good for the batsmen. At the other end, Kevin Czakan (2-53) bowled with good pace, and he made the breakthrough, hitting Carroll\s middle stump. Day then took over, removing the rest of the top order, who failed to cope with his outswing. Tennant replaced Czakan, and the young all-rounder immediately took a wicket, Dave Small taking a good catch at mid-off.
Wooburn were then held up by the tail, who played with great determination. It took a magnificent catch from short leg specialist Dave Rogers to get rid of Smith. Tennant bowled Allison, who just failed to dig out a yorker, and Czakan returned to bowl Langley, after a gritty last wicket partnership had taken the total to a repsectable 173. It was a vital win for Wooburn, which keeps them in the promotion hunt.
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