MATCH REPORT

TOWN WIN CLIFF HANGER!

Town 2nd X1 were involved in a real "cliffhanger" when they clinched victory on the very last ball of the match against Wallingford.
Asked to bat first, Buckingham's openers Taylor and Paul Board found themselves restricted to twenty runs of the first 15 overs during a spell of accurate bowling from Spindler and Prescott. However, following Board's dismissal, Adam Izzard joined Taylor adding a further 40 runs to the total before Izzard was bowled for a quickfire 15 and Taylor(41) was lost  LBW . Unlike last week, the middle order responded well with Nick Board (30) enjoying valuable partnerships with Ryan Spragg (19) and newcomer Annant Preshavaria (17) although the innings then faded to 178 as the push for runs increased adding only an additional 24 runs from the remaining six overs, Shiv Talsania unbeaten on 10.
Wallingford's response was confident as they maintained the required run rate throughout the first 20 overs, although Mark James and Ryan Spragg produced tidy opening spells.
With the early introduction to the attack of Paul Sly, the run rate was restricted and with that pressure, wickets also began to fall. However, Wallingford were comfortably placed needed fifty runs to win from the remaing 10 overs with six wickets in hand, when Ryan Spragg crucially removed Sharp (61) and with Sly forcing errors at the other end the match was evenly poised.
Ainsworth and Bowman swung the game again Wallingford's way but the remaining five overs saw a remarkable turnaround as the visitors panicked and needing twenty one runs from the last five overs for victory, went into the final over needing two runs with two wickets in hand.
Town now sensing a win themselves, crowded the bat as Sly began the last over. Spindler was run out by a mile and the inform Bowerman found himself  watching at the non strikers end for the remaining two balls.Wallingford still needed two runs from the remaining ball, but it was the home side who needed just one wicket  and when Smart skied the ball for a catch to Taylor, Town had snatched the win and maximum points.
Mike Taylor: "This was a tremendous match whereby everyone kept focused to the last ball. It was a relief to come out on the winning side!"

Scorecard:
Buckingham Town 2nd X1

Board P                         B Prescott                      6
Taylor                            LBW Ainsworth             41
Izzard                            B Ainsworth                  15
Board N  St L Ainsworth  B Ainsworth                  31
Preshavaria                    Run Out                        17
Spragg        Ct Bowman  B Spindler                     19
James                           Run Out                          5
Talsania                         Not Out                         10
Heavisides                     B Spindler                       0
Richardson                    B Ainsworth                     3         
Sly                                Not Out                           1
                                    Extras                           30
                                    Total for 9 wckts           178
Bowling:
Spindler 25-5-84-2; Prescott 9-1-29-1; Ainsworth 16-2-51-4

Wallingford
Sharp                                        B Spragg                 60
Bowman A         Ct P Board        B Sly                      22
Wigley                                       LBW Sly                 11
Sessions           Ct Richardson    B Sly                      20
Ainsworth W                              B Spragg                 23
Ainsworth L        St Richardson   B Sly                        9
Bowman M                                Not Out                   15
Prescott                                    B Spragg                   0
Ridley                                       LBW Spragg              6
Spindler                                     Run Out                   0
Smart                Ct Taylor           B Sly                       0
                                                Extras                    11
                                                Total                    177
Bowling; Spragg 13-1-58-4; James 4-1-11-0; Sly 21-2-64-5; Heavisides 7-2-17-0; Izzard 5-0-25-0

 

By Nick Board - posted 31 May, 2003