Won
| Batsmen | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubbu Thava | Out | 20 | ||||
| Naqash Tahir | Out | 49 | ||||
| Anthony Foley | Out | 26 | ||||
| Dominic Martyn | Out | 2 | ||||
| Terry Wolfendale | Out | 0 | ||||
| Jamie Travers | Out | 14 | ||||
| Ben Travers | Out | 21 | ||||
| Steve Simmons | Out | 6 | ||||
| Nick Ashton | Out | 0 | ||||
| Ryan Pownall | Not Out | 10 | ||||
| Waqas Tahir | Not Out | 16 | ||||
| Extras | ||||||
| Bowling | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naqash Tahir | 11.0 | 1 | 50 | 4 | 4.55 | |
| Steve Simmons | 2.0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 5.50 | |
| Nick Ashton | 7.4 | 1 | 26 | 3 | 3.39 | |
| Ryan Pownall | 7.0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 5.00 | |
| Waqas Tahir | 13.0 | 2 | 46 | 3 | 3.54 | |
| Extras | ||||||
| Fielder | Catches | Run Outs | Stumpings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bubbu Thava | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamie Travers | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Pownall | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Set 184 to win in 51 overs appeared a formality for Sonning when placed at 101 for 1 in reply with 30 overs remaining. Eleven overs later, number 11 bat, Waqas Tahir [Waqs] strode to the wicket to join Ryan Pownall [Ryan] with the score 159 for 9 and 26 still needed for victory! Eight overs later, with arms raised aloft, Waq [16 no] and Ryan [10 no] with the third highest stand of the innings saw Sonning home with 11 overs to spare! Normally associated with a last wicket stand one would expect to see singles been dug out one-by-one and a number of heart stopping moments…..but in this case anything but with 6 boundaries clattering the perimeter fence the target was soon achieved….however Waqs kept his partner and watching team mates on red alert as he repeatedly tried to defy the rules of human physics by attempting singles which a cheetah running at full speed would not have made! Fortunately ‘cool head’ Ryan quickly took over all calling duties!
James Thava [Boo] and Naqash Tahir [Naqs] launched the reply with a barrage of boundaries, racing to 48 from 10 overs, before Boo fell to a catch at mid-off from a miscued drive for 20. Antony Foley [Snake] joined Naqash [Naqs] to maintain the excellent foundations of the Sonning reply. Their stand of 45 was a great contrast of styles. Naqs at one end, all wrists, impulsive reaction and risk, smashing three maximums off Mortimer West End’s opening bowler, Dench. Snake, with his Yeomanry style the complete antithesis, measured, side-on and stroking the ball across the turf. All was going smoothly until Naqs decided to take a drink and the very next ball lost his off pole to M WE captain, Mark Gillon. Dominic Martyn and Terry Wolfendale fell cheaply, then Snake missed a straight one, LBW for 26. This brought Ben Travers [Ben] to the wicket to join his father [JT] who had been scratching around for a couple of overs keeping Snake company. Sensing the breakthrough, their skipper surrounded the bat with a barrage of close fielders. Clearly this had a rather claustrophobic effect on Ben who with maximum wind-up smashed his second delivery with such force that both ball and fielder might easily have crossed the rope…..fortunately it was just the ball! Ben continued to ‘tee-off’ much to the delight of his father as this reduced the necessity to run singles and quickly the mood of the game changed as the next 40 came off just 25 balls. With the game quickly swinging Sonning’s way JT then played across a straight delivery becoming the fourth batsman running to fall LBW quickly followed by Ben for 21 which included 4 boundaries. Steve Simmons and Nick Ashton soon followed leaving the stage for Ryan and Waqs to finish the job.
The M WE innings followed a similar path, Alan Hobart was particularly punishing on anything too short or full and with K Gupta rattled along to a partnership of 71 in just 12 overs. It was at this stage that Waqs started to gain better control of line and length which was rewarded with three quick wickets, capturing both openers LBW and flattening the middle stump of D Filmer, batting 3, for two runs who never looked settled. Having plugged away without luck, Ryan was replaced by Naqs who also needed a couple of overs to settle but then bowled a sustained accurate spell of 11 overs taking 4 for 50. Bowling in tandem with Nick Ashton, making his debut, wickets fell at a steady rate with only Gillon and Prinn contributing for the home side. Nick who replaced Waqs [3 for 46 off 13 overs] bowled an excellent variation of off-spin in cold and blustery conditions. Defending a short boundary to leg, he got his line right and finished with 3 for 26 from 8 overs. He induced two edges, expertly taken by Boo, the second of which set up a hatrick. Nick looks a great acquisition to the club.
Jamie Travers
