Windsor breeze past Finchampstead

Finchampstead 119 All-Out, 38.4 Overs (Nichols 7 for 43)
Windsor 120 for 1, 22 Overs (Davis 61*, Millman 43*)

A much-changed Windsor 1st team travelled over to Finchampstead on Saturday in search of their first league win of the season. With key batsmen Bird and Towse unavailable, Windsor won the toss and bowled first, looking to attack from the off.

Early wickets were provided by Windsor opening bowlers Nichols and Hill, as both managed to get the Finch openers to falsely hook down fine-leg’s throat. A further wicket from Hill via an in swinging delivery saw Finchampstead reduced to 21 for 3. Then Nichols stepped up a gear and began a very hostile spell of bowling. Combining swing bowling with some vicious bouncers, Nichols began to tear through the middle-order. He removed key man, Gary Loveday, with the ball of season to date, a big in-swinger that tore out the batsman middle-stump. Ably supported by Hill, Cornish and Watkins at the other end, Nichols cleaned up the home sides tail and despite a slight wag, Finchampstead were all out for 119. Nichols finished with 7 for 43 off 20 overs, easily the best bowling performance by a Windsor CC 1st XI bowler in many years. Added to this was Deri Watkins, who picked up three catches at slip off Nichols’ bowling.

After a fine tea, Windsor went out to begin the run chase. With the ball moving in the air and off the seam, the Windsor openers Chorley and Davis set off in a positive mode. The score had reached 28 when Chorley gloved a rising ball to the keeper and Windsor lost their first wicket. With Finch starting to become more vocal, Millman joined Davis and saw out the remains of a tricky over. Both then looked to attack and chase down the low total quickly, with Davis was particularly harsh on any width outside off. As Millman began to time the ball better the run-rate began to escalate. Davis passed his second consecutive fifty in the 19th over with another drive through the offside. Millman then cut loose and hit six fours in twelve balls as Windsor speed towards the target. A final push through the offside by Millman saw Windsor home to victory by 9 wickets. Davis finished on 61 not out and Millman finished with 43 not out.

A tricky target was made to look easy and Windsor will take great confidence from the result going into the next match. With Bird and Towse back, the selectors face a tough time picking the team as Bagshot travel to Home Park this coming Saturday.

Too little too late

Windsor 212 for 7 (52 Overs) (Davis 64, Chorley 47)
Chiswick & Latymer 213 for 5 (44.2 Overs) (Williams 76*, Vanderburg 64)

After running out of gas on the previous weeks run chase, Windsor won the toss and chose to bat on what looked to be another good Home Park wicket.

With a fair amount of humidity in the air, the Chiswick bowlers found exaggerated movement in the form of swing and seam with the new ball. Windsor found themselves 18 for 2, after losing Towse lbw to leg cutter and Millman, caught and bowled to one the straightened. This brought Davis to the crease to join Bird and together they began to rebuild the innings. The regular openers, separated due to unforeseen logistics problem, found the going tough with the new ball still moving, but were very severe on anything over-pitched and punished accordingly. Bird unfortunately paid the price for one drive too many and holed out at mid-off for 18. Chorley then joined Davis and together they set about forging a partnership. Davis passed fifty for the first time this season with a characteristic cover drive. However, a sharp caught and bowled saw avis depart for 64, bringing Watkins to the crease at 122 for 4. A mix-up between Chorley and Watkins, saw the former run-out for 47, three short of a deserved half-century. Some lusty blows from Watkins, along with the precise approach of Mohindru, saw Windsor pass 200 and set Chiswick a competitive 212 to chase.

Unfortunately for Windsor, the Chiswick openers found conditions a lot easier than were experienced earlier in the day and their chase for the target started with aplomb. A dropped chance at slip exacerbated Windsor’s woes as they struggled to break through in easier, less humid batting conditions. Nichols and Cornish bowled well and passed the edge on numerous occasions without any joy. Both Chiswick openers settled into their innings and passed 50. It was the introduction of Watkins that finally broke the partnership, as Vanderburg was caught and bowled for 64. Whilst never looking comfortable, left-hander Freidrich continued the assault as Chiswick looked to be coasting to victory. Yet, a late flurry of wickets saw both he and the two century makers from the previous week, the Bhatia brothers, fall cheaply and a short-lived panic set the Chiswick dressing room. Sadly for the home side, it was a case of too little, too late and Chiswick passed the score with over 3 overs remaining, Windsor losing by 5 wickets. In the end, the target was just not challenging enough. Windsor were awarded 12 points for the day.

This week, Windsor travel to Finchampstead to play their second team. With a great batting deck expected, pressure is on to score big.

Windsor trip-up in heat of run chase.

Basingstoke 2nd XI 243 all out, 48.1 overs (Rouse 83, Sankachan 45)
Windsor 1st XI 213 for 8, 51 overs (Bird 59, Nicholls 40)

With all eyes elsewhere on the 2pm kick-off for England, Windsor travelled to Basingstoke for their TVL Division 2A fixture with an aim to capitalise on the distraction. Losing the toss, Windsor were (unsurprisingly) asked to bowl first and set about the task with the opposition by the TV.

Despite some close shaves in the first 12 overs, Windsor failed to make a breakthrough with the new ball, with opening bowlers Nicholls and Cornish beating the bat regularly. The only cheer came from the local neighbourhood when England scored. However, the introduction of Alex Hill changed the course of proceedings and wickets either side of drinks, saw the home side 68 for 2 after 17 overs. Nicholls then upped his pace and via fine slip catch by Watkins and a caught behind from Baumgartner, Basingstoke were suddenly four down. Hill then got the fifth as the young number six flashed outside off to give Baumgartner his second catch. That only brought young Rouse to the crease and with Sankachan, they set about rebuilding the innings. With the introduction of spinners Watkins and Mohindru, the Basingstoke pair looked to get after anything loose and peppered the leg-side boundaries. Only a fine catch by Millman broke the partnership, by which time Basingstoke had reached 180 for 6 and had overs left to build a big total. Rouse completed a deserved fifty, but the wheels seemed to come off as they looked to push past 250. With one final calamitous run out in the 49th over, the Basingstoke innings closed at 243 of 49.1 overs.

In hot conditions, Windsor set about the run chase with vigour, as openers Bird and Davis looked to go after anything loose. The wicket, now resembling the nearby M3, was playing well and not even the constant changing Basingstoke attack could abate the flow of runs. Bird passed fifty for the third time in five innings with a huge six over long on and through the side window of a local Ford Focus. The shattered glass though was only a cruel indication of the carnage that followed. After reaching the 100 partnership, Bird miss-timed his advance down the wicket and was duly stumped for 59. Davis soon followed after miscuing an audacious drive and Windsor we suddenly 104 for 2, but many overs left looked set for the chase. Unfortunately, the calamitous run-out of Millman saw the beginning of a full-scale collapse, with Windsor suddenly tumbling to 146 for 6. Nicholls set about rebuilding the innings with Towse and the pair put on fifty, but as the run-rate climbed the task got more the difficult. Towse was then unluckily adjudge LBW, bring Hill to the crease to try to bludgeon the runs. Despite valiant efforts by both men and some aggressive fields buy the home skipper, Windsor just couldn’t quite manage the feat and Nicholls was stranded on 40 not out as the inning closed at 213 for 8 off 51 overs, 31 runs short of the target.

A general feeling of disappoint followed the game, as once again Windsor did not find the killer punch to pull off the victory. Whilst the initial platform was set, no one went on to make that much needed big score to help with the run chase, but in turn some of the modes of dismissal we also not great. This coming weekend, Windsor have the task of facing Chiswick and Latymer, fresh on the back of racking up 400 the previous week. This could prove to be a spectacle of a game.

Alldiss and George put Windsor to the sword.

Windsor 234 for 8 52 overs (Bird 86, Dick 3 for 68)
Datchet 235 for 2 42 overs (Alldiss 101, George 88*)

Playing their first league game of the season that has not been affected by rain, Windsor won the toss and elected to bat on a very hard and dry looking track. Bird and Davis started well and took the attack to the Datchet bowlers, with both batsmen playing commanding shots of the back and front foot, before Davis chipped an easy catch to mid wicket to be dismissed for 36. In form Andy Towse and Bird continued to play their shots before Bird was adjudged lbw for 86, trying to drive the accurate spin of Dick. Windsor then lost wickets and momentum due to poor shot selection and suicidal running between the wickets. However, the lower order once again stood up to be counted and Windsor managed to reach 234-8, which after being 162-4 was disappointing and 30 runs short of what they had hoped. James Dick was the pick of the Datchet bowlers, with a well-deserved 3-68.

Windsor opted to open with spin and seam and took the old ball, hoping that veteran spinner Mohindru would be able to get some assistance from the wicket. This initial pairing worked well, and Datchet found themselves on 62-1 after 18 overs with the pressure mounting. Mirza's leg spin was then brought into the attack; where upon the turning point of the match occurred. Opening batsmen George was missed twice in one over due to a dropped catch and missed run out. Windsor feels that this would have greatly changed the game, as this would have exposed the Datchet middle order, which Windsor backed themselves to go through. However, both George and Alldiss made Windsor pay for these mistakes, with Alldiss playing one of the best knocks seen at the home park for a few seasons. Windsor had no answers to the Datchet skipper who treated all bowlers with disdain and seem able to smash boundaries at will. Alldiss, who could easily play at a much higher standard, did not give a single chance during his innings and went on to smash a faultless 101, before playing-on to the part time spin of Towse. George continued to stand firm and saw the Datchet innings home to finish unbeaten on 88. Although Windsor suffered a sound beating, Datchet only made 9 more points than them in this game, which again highlights the inadequacies of the league points system.

This week, a changed Windsor side travel to Basingstoke, with former skipper Des Watkins and new signing Saj Shafi coming into the side. However, Windsor skipper, Warren Griffiths, will be out for some time due to a stress fracture of the lower back. Vice Captain, Craig Bird, takes over in his place