HAMPTON SKITTLED BY DAY AND CZAKAN
Wooburn Narkovians 2nd XI\s excellent season in Division 3 of the Thames Valley League continued as they notched up a third successive win on Saturday.
Wooburn\s poor run with the toss continued as they were put in on a damp wicket, offering the bowlers plenty of encouragement. Batting was never easy, but although no-one managed to reach fifty, there were solid contributions all the way down the order. Rob Smith was the first to go, sportingly giving himself out after the ball brushed his glove on the way through to the wicket-keeper. Dave Rogers grafted well for his 29, as did Jeff Morris (20) on his return from injury. John Saunders and Adam Chivers kept the score ticking over in the middle of the innings, taking full advantage of anything wayward.
After last week\s heroics, it was six and out for Phil Day as he fell to a fine running catch at deep mid wicket. When Day was out it seemed Wooburn would fall well short of setting a challenging total, but Matt Curtis, with good support from Chris Sullivan and Kevin Czakan, came to the rescue. Curtis played particularly well, hitting a fine straight six off Haigh and cracking five fours in his 41. A final total of 191 was more than Wooburn had expected, and they took to the field in good heart.
Their confidence appeared well placed when Day and Czakan removed both openers with just 10 runs on the board. There was still some life in the wicket, and Hampton Hill struggled against the Wooburn pacemen. Thornley rode his luck to reach 26 before Sullivan took a fine catch, running back at deep extra cover, but the remainder of the top order fell cheaply. When Allison joined Mills, there were still 28 overs remaining, but the ninth wicket pair put up stout resistance.
With the pitch easing, and the overs passing by, the tension began to mount. Day and Czakan were replaced by Morris and Rob Rogers as Wooburn turned to spin. After a few more overs, Saunders replaced Morris, and he made the breakthrough, trapping Mills in front as he played across a straight one. As so often happens, Allison followed his partner immediately, dragging another ball from Saunders onto his off stump, leaving Wooburn the victors by 52 runs.
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