WINDSOR GRIND OUT DRAW

WINDSOR 6/162 (48 overs) 6 POINTS

drew with

BEACONSFEILD 7/209 (52 overs) 13 POINTS

Windsor played host to Beaconsfeild on Saturday and the fresh in their minds was the pummelling they received 10 weeks earlier from the same side. Desperate for the same embarrassment not to occur again, Windsor placed great importance on this fixture and went into the game with a cautious attitude.

Windsor however lost the toss and Beaconsfeild decided to bat on a very batsmen friendly wicket. It was not until the 10th over, Windsor got the breakthrough via Nichols in the form of 2 wickets in two balls to leave Beaconfeild 2/35.

It was tough going for the quicks as Beaconsfeild batsmen kept the score ticking, courtesy of some great running between the wickets.

Just after the drinks break Mohindru was introduced and this lead to another couple of wickets, but Windsor could no put the breaks on the oppositions run flow as Sutner in particular kept rotating strike.

Mohindru eventually picked him up for 70, Harris then picked up the dangerous Alexander and Windsor looked to have Beaconsfeild well contained to within 200. Beaconsfeilds tail wagged however and some great shots from Owen, Sullivan and Farnham meant that their side cruised to 209 in the 52nd over.

On a belter of a wicket, Windsors bowlers done well, in particular Nichols (3/29 off 14 overs) and Mohindru (3/31 off 14 overs). they where very shabby in the field in the field at times. A worrying trend for the skipper in recent weeks, and something that must be amended.

The target was within Windsors reach, but they needed someone in the top 4 to stand up and play a big knock if they where to achieve it, similar to Sutners performance earlier in the day.

That however was not to be, as Windsor ended up at 4/86 after 23 overs. Charters (12) was caught at 2nd slip trying to run one down to the 3rd man boundary, Bird (37) was caught at cover, Nair (4) followed the same fate and Chorley (11) was adjudged LBW.

It was then left to Nichols and Riches to try and salvage something from the innings. Riches (17)played some aggresive shots, but was LBW to a Taylor inswinger after the drinks break.

Murray (3) could not stem the flow of wickets either as he fell by the wayside, so it was left up Malloch and Nichols, who having bowled 32 of the sides 52 overs between them, to salvage the game.

Both withstood some fine bowling from Sullivan and Owen to negotiate the remaining 12 overs, and picked up some valuable bonus points reaching 150, before pulling Windsor to safety. Nichols finished on 28* and Malloch in a fine cameo reached 31*

The lack of any real partnership outside of Nichols and Malloch was the key to Windsor being unable to really challenge the visitors total. In saying that, Owen and Sullivan who with Wilson bowled very well to restrict the home side and from this come level on the Division 2A table.

Windsor travel to Finchampstead next week, which is a very happy hunting ground. Bowling first, Windsor have went through the home side in the last 2 visits over there since 2006, and with an extra seamer in Richard Gregory selected in the side, are looking to do more of the same.

LADY LUCK SCROWLS AT HAPLESS WINDSOR!

WINDSOR 6/231
Birch 62

drew with

FARNHAM ROYAL 8/178
Nichols 5/60 (20 overs)

With similar weather as the previous weeks washout predicted by the BBC weather bureau all week, it was with pleasing surprise that the rain gods stayed away and Windsor could dust off the cobwebs to take on Farnham Royal.

With the heavy down pours during the week creating dampness in the wicket, the game was delayed for a few minutes. upon winning the toss Nichols decided to bat.

Windsor got off to a solid start scoring 50 off the first 15 overs for no loss, until Bird (29) tried to go big again, after hitting a 6 over point a couple of balls previous in the over to hole out to mid on. Chorley (8) was disspointed to follow a similar fate leaving Windsor 2/90 after 20 overs.

Youngster Nair steadied the ship as Birch taking advantage of a flattening wicket started to play his shots and Windsor took drinks at the 26th over 2/130.

After the break, Birch than decided he didnt really want to score a 100, and played a loose shot to end what should have been his 2nd 100 of the season.

Nichols (23) and Nair looked to consolidate and with 15 overs remaining had taking the score to 3/180. Nichols fell trying to push the rate bringing Malloch to the crease as he also played some shots to get the total past 200.

Bevan (27) was then bowled around his legs by Singh, who had 4 wickets by now, and Weston (21*)then strode to the wicket also pushing the run-rate along with ease.

Nair (43) fell in a quest for quick runs bringing Riches (17*)to the crease. The two closed the innings well with timley placement and good running. A score of 6/231 was pleasing for Windsor and they where confident of not only being able to defend it, but even claiming the 10 wickets need to win the match.

Things got off to a good start with Nichols claiming a wicket in his 1st over. At the other end though youngster Harris was very ginger, carrying an injury in the game, he was not at 100% fitness and it was evident.

A quick change around saw Mohindru start a spell and with Nichols they drilled into the Farnham Royal middle order. Nichols dismissed the dangerous Pitt and then both bowlers took another 3 each, leaving Farnham Royal on the brink at 8/50 after 16 overs. The game was theres for the taking.

Farnhams 9th wicket partnership was to be the highligh of the game though. Nichols rotated bowlers aorund, set ultra attacking feilds, then drew the feils back in the assumption that the last placed side would have a dig at the win, but it was not to be!

The 9th wicket was far to good for anything that Windsor could throw up, and they took the game to the 48th over where they held out Windsor attack to a tea, much to the celebrations of the home sides supporters. What everyone had witnessed was a spirited fight back from 2 gutsy players. If only Farnham had that kind of tenacity through out the season and through out their side, perhaps they would not be coming deadlast and staring down relegation in 2008. Singh should come in for special mention. not inly had the 16 year old taken 4 wickets with his skiddy left arm spin, he scored 62* ever important runs.

As much as Nichols used tactics to promote the batsmen to push for the win, their steely resolve would not repent as they went on their merry way merely accumulating, never really seeing the run chase as an option.

It was certainly frustrating for Windsor but they only had themselves to blame. there at least 5 difficult chances that if they had taken 1, would have brought in the 10th wicket. But they were not good enough and as such certainly did not deserve to win the game.

It they want to be a top 3 side, these chances MUST be taken.

Lady luck also was not interested in a Windsor win, as countless number of balls fell short, went through gaps and went over heads, to the extent, Windsor players just shrugged their shoulders and laughed near the end of the game... Put simply it was one of those days!

Windsor play host to Beaconsfield 2's next week and are looking forward to a tough encounter. Beaconsfiled gave Windsor a cricketing lesson in the first round smashing them by 100 runs taking 25 points, so the home side has to play good cricket to make up for that and fingers crossed return the favour...

WASHOUT

BASINGSTOKE & NTH 7 Points

Washout

WINDSOR 7 Points

A diabolical day as far as the weather was concerned meant to no games where complated in the division.

WINDSOR FALL JUST FALL SHORT...

WINDOR 7/242 (52 OVERS) 15 POINTS
Nichols 67

Drew with

CHISWICK & LATYMER 9/201 (8 POINTS)

On the back of a terribly close encounter against competition front runners Maidenhead the week prior, Windsor travelled to Whitton Park to do battle with friendly rival Chiswick & Latymer.

Upon inspection of the wicket, players where bemused by the apparent lack of preparation of the wicket. The pitch that was covered was as green as the out field and both skippers decided that if play was going to be safe, at least another hour of rolling was crucial.

The conditions made winning the toss all the more important, but the coin fell awkward for Nichols and Windsor were rightly sent in on the greenish deck many had seen!

Bird and Birch obviously struggled on the terrible surface early on. Some impressive bowling, especially from Khan, who bowled with reasonable pace, was getting alot out of the pitch. It all became too much when Bird (6) received an unplayable delivery spitting on a length the surface to be caught off Khan to leave Windsor 1/12.

Chorley and Birch look to push the score towards 50, before Chorley (25) received another corker rearing off a length, courtesy from the gremlins on the pitch to be caught behind. Nair played a few shots until he succumb to leg cutter from Singh to be caught at 2nd slip. Then Birch (27) got an edge that flew to 2nd Slip off Khan and Weston was trapped in fron LBW to leave Windsor perilously close to oblivion at 5/88.

From here Nichols and Riches looked to slowly advance to 100. As Khan grew tired after bowling 13 straight, Windsor went to drinks 5/97. The partnership moved to 130 in slow time amid some spirited efforts from the Chiswick attack.

But the game reached a turning point in the 35th over. Nichols was dropped 2 twice in as many balls and decided to chance his arm against a tiring Khan and flattening wicket. he proceeded to hit him for 3 sixes in a row, to take 22 off the over, and from here Windsor took the imitative!

Riches grew in confidence who along with Nichols started to belt the Chiswick attack all around the park. the ultra attacking fields set by Chiswick where replaced with fielders on the boundaries and Windsor took singles as will and pushed the score to 190 in the 43rd before Nichols (67) was caught on the 3rd man boundary.

The skipper could not have got out at a better time as Malloch then picked up where he left off and along with Riches pushed the total to 200. While trying to squeeze as many runs out of the remaining overs as possible, Riches (42) was run out, bringing Gregory to the crease. his first 2 scoring shots where 6 and 4 as Windsor finished 7/242 after 52 with Malloch (27*) and Gregory (17*).

With the new ball taken, Chiwick got off to a fine start with Van den Burg hitting some crisp strokes, ably supported by the enigmatic Davis. With Gregory bowling tight at the other end, Nichols introduced Malloch to replace himself with the wind and the change proved correct as Bevan removed Davis plumb LBW.

At 1/32 the game was pretty much up for the taking but a sublime period of 6 overs killed any chance Chiswick had of winning the game. Nair managed to run out the dangerous Singh, Khan was caught for a golden duck to Gregory to a great snare at short leg by Chorley, and Malloch had van den Burg caught at cover by Birch to leave Chiswick 4/42 after 16 overs.

Having been in a similar position in the 1st round of games against Chiswick, Windsor knew the game was far from won. San Jose and Wrigglesworth looked to steady the ship, until a brilliant caught and bowled from Harris removed San Jose.

One over from drinks Chiswick skipper Scott was caught off Mohindru at deep long on by Gregory to leave Windsor well on top, having Chiswick 6/97.

After the break, Fell and Wrigglesworth kept the score ticking in a quest to gain bonus points. Windsor kept attacking with men around the bat, and this paid dividends when Harris picked up his 2nd wicket, that of Wrigglesworth caught at short gully by Malloch.

With the pitch unresponsive to spin and seam, Windsor looked to wait for mistakes from the Chiswick lower order. Harris and Mohindru played away with little lick as Chiswick moved to 7/180 with 5 overs to go.

Nichols then introduced himself and immediately removed Fell LBW. Next over Harris claimed the games 9th wicket leaving 3 overs and number 10 and 11 at the crease!

Unfortunately from Windsor it was not to be, as the Chiswick side not only starved off an all out assault from Windsor to claim that crucial 10th scalp, but also did enough to secure a bonus point, moving the score to 9/201 after 48 overs.

It was a fine effort form Windsor in hindsight. They had the worse of the condition by a long way and still managed to have the opposition 9 down in reply after scoring 242. With the bat it was pleasing to see Riches get his first score in the 1st XI, and to see Birch grind out a crucial 28, saving his middle order from taking on those difficult first 20 overs. This allowed Nichols and Malloch to combine and push a terrific total that in reality, Chiswick where never going to get after losing early wickets.

Once again, Harris and Mohindru bowled very well with Malloch and Gregory doing everything right with the new ball.

Next week sees Windsor play host to Basingstoke & Northants. It will be an exciting game as Windsor is extremely keen to avenge their defeat earlier in the season. Basingstoke are a very good cricket side and the home team will have to play very well to leap frog them into 4th place on the ladder.