Winless Wooburn 1st XI traversed the M4 for their most distant away fixture season at the splendid setting of Falkland CC. Traffic was light and those who utilised the Newbury by-pass found their journey swift and easy. Indeed it was noted by many players that since the 1998 opening of the A34, it’s a straightforward journey to this wonderful enclave of west Berkshire. Had Swampy and his merry followers got their way it wouldn’t have been so smooth, so make up your own mind on the environmental and social impacts.
The pitch that confronted both teams was clearly prepared by a grounds-person who knows their loam from their line marker, with the criss-crossed manicured mown outfield and solid lump of concrete wicket.
With the hosts winning the toss and electing to bat, Wooburn Skipper M.Tennant opened the bowling with a tight spell of pleasing good-length bullets, keeping the batmen sharp with genuine rip, but it was D.Bushnell from the opposite end that excited the fielders, getting the ball to seam and swing with abundance and passing the outside edge with an almost expectant certainty.
Despite this, the Falkland openers got stuck into their task, ticking the score along in what was emerging to be a war of attrition between bat and ball. But, just as the frustration levels began to simmer, Tennant found the breakthrough, taking a low catch off his own bowling.
This was the trigger for a period of Wooburn dominance, first Beale was run-out after a mid-wicket mix-up, Barker casually sauntering up to the wickets to remove the bails.
Barker soon replaced an injured Tennant, his earlier cat-like catching agility probably proving to be his downfall in tweaking a groin. But Barker was in the mood to carry on the momentum, sending down 2 rippers to bowl R.Jones and S.Jones in the process. With Bushnell finally getting his bounty finding Townsend plumb LBW, Falkland were wobbling on 48/5.
It was down to Thomas and Harrison to rebuild, Harrison in particular looking comfortable, swotting away anything loose whilst building a stern defence to the tougher stuff. With Thomas an able assistant, the partnership steadily grew, bringing the stability Falkland needed. A hapless Bushnell dropped Thomas in the slips when the catch seemed certain, but was redeemed in the next over as J-H.Kelly covered significant ground to take a lofted catch high above his head.
Harrison did his best to ride his luck in the next over, G.Taylor this time putting down the chance in the slips following a snorter from Bushnell.
W.Cuthbert joined the attack and found good lines, but whilst not going for more than 5-an-over, this felt expensive in the context of the innings as Harrison took this as the cue to start moving the score along, much to the annoyance of Taylor and Bushnell.
Tennant began to scour his team for inspiration, bringing on the useful spin of Kelly. He duly obliged by bowling Cooper, having Harrison caught at Long On into the thankful hands of Taylor and wrapping up a perfect hat-trick, trapping Nethercroft LBW. The teams left the field to a contrasting assessment of the innings, Wooburn feeling they should be defending a smaller total, Falkland possibly rueing a missed chance to edge closer to 200.
Tea was a typically fine affair, the players taking to the pavilion just as the England vs South Africa rugby test was getting lively, but that didn’t distract from the mini-pasties and highly acclaimed chicken nuggets complete with a crispy, slightly spiced coating. This was also an opportunity to peruse the grand designs of Falkland’s new pavilion, which was much admired by the Wooburn players.
The Wooburn innings was opened by P.Cooper and M.Ingram who were immediately put to task by the masterful and adeptly named Afridi, serving up a consistent mix of sharp and fast length bowling. J.Williams was looking imposing and getting some bounce from the other end. Despite this, both looked assured at the crease, getting stuck into their jobs. However as soon as the impression of a stable start was cast, it was shattered as both were soon caught in quick succession and with S.McLaughlin falling soon after, Wooburn were feeling the pinch at 44/3.
A.P.Tennant came to the crease and started in good touch, joined by R.Wheeler who looked to get going with an empathetic boundary down towards cow corner. Wheeler, unlucky to have been adjudged LBW having seemingly made contact with the ball. Tennant was the only Wooburn batsman to look in any way comfortable against the onslaught from the Falkland bowlers, ably assisted by Barker who again, was finding his feet.
O.Nethercroft took over from Williams, with Tennant showing no mercy for the short length in his first over, turning the ball behind square on 3 occasions for some well received boundaries. This gave Barker cause to go after the spin of Nethercroft, but after holing out to cover and Bushnell being quickly stumped, A.P.Tennant was in need of another partner to shore up the innings.
Enter Taylor, who following a streaky start, soon found his feet against the tiring Afridi, stroking a glorious shot through to the mid-on boundary and providing a perfect foe in backing up Tennant.
Tennant, wearing with tiredness but growing in confidence ploughed on in imperious fashion. By the time Taylor had run himself out, the partnership had reached 50 and Wooburn were nearly home, just requiring M.Tennant to hobble to the crease and join his brother in hitting the 7 runs to record a Wooburn win with 4 overs to spare.
