Shinfield 2nd get Lucky as final pair seal dramatic win DIVISION 4
SOME late heroics from Angus Tiffin and Lucky Sardar saw Shinfield 2nd edge past Hawley 2nd and keep up the pressure on leaders Peppard Stoke Row 2nd. The final pairing struck 14 and nine respectively to secure the second-placed side a nervy one-wicket win at the Recreation Ground. Shashi Reddy (28), Liam Prowse (30) and captain Kiran Alluri, who led the field with 36, all scored well for a Shinfield side set a target of 155 for victory. But lowly Hawley were to hit back and had moved to within sight of a win after removing six other batsmen for a score less than nine. But Tiffin and Sardar stood up to the challenge admirably, belling their lowly positions in the order to tot up the remaining runs and carry the relieved hosts over the line. Earlier in the day the visitors from Surrey were restricted to what appeared to be a lightweight looking 154 all out, with Kiran Alluri, Sandeep Bharat and Srinivas Vijayarao all striking twice, but it was still a total which caused the home side plenty of problems. BINFIELD 3RD appear to be nurturing the winning feeling after thrashing EMMBROOK AND BEARWOOD 3RD by 203 runs to secure back-to-back victories. The side had only broke their duck the weekend before but now appear to be on a roll, with the century worked up by opener Chris Morgan helping the away side to a score of 258-7 and a commanding position. Paul Edgington also scored well, making 58 at three, as did Matthew Nicholls (37) and James Collett (30). Although a punishing time in the field, Emmbrook’s Amit Viroja did manage to pick up four wickets (4-53), with Jack Thorne, Ryan Keohane and Joe Williams also trying their best to stop the onslaught by securing a dismissal. Emmbrook’s reply, however, was one to forget. Up against a brutal bowling attack led by Tim Vines, who conceded just six runs during a three-wicket haul, the home side was rolled over for a laboured 53 in the 34th over. The majority of the runs came at the top of the order and from Chris Kingston (16), but he was to be outscored by the extras column (18). The next best score was the eight made by captain Viroja, with 10 batsmen falling for single-figure totals. Backing up Vines with the ball, meanwhile, was Ian Goddard (2-20) and Robert Carson (2-4). Stuart Nock’s 50 and a share of six wickets for Matt Nebbett and Chris Herbert helped WALTHAM ST LAWRENCE 2ND see off CROWTHORNE AND CROWN WOOD 3RD by a margin of 33 runs and move away from the foot of the table. Nock’s stand, and that of fellow opener Krishna Mathur, who added 35 to the scoreboard, proved pivotal as a wobble further down the line up saw the away side crash from 108-3 to 155-9. Pulling apart the innings was John Cartledge, who left the field with figures of 4-26, while Christopher Emes and Mike Storey shared another four dismissals. Thanks to Dave Shaw’s half-century 52, Crowthorne looked well set, yet his departure was to open the floodgates. Through three scalps apiece for Matt Nebbett and Chris Herbert, along with two more for Chris Apps, Waltham surged to victory. Even some late swings from Mike Storey (10) and Marshall Miller (13) was unable to change the outcome, with their efforts proving in vain as the hosts crumbled to 132 all out.
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Friday, July 15, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER
HOME COUNTIES PREMIER LEAGUE
Finch can ‘absolutely’ win the league n Skipper Marles talks up club’s title chances ahead of top-of-the-table clash By TOM CROCKER tcrocker@wokinghampaper.co.uk “THERE is absolutely no reason why we can’t win the league.” That was the message from league leading Finchampstead captain Dan Marles as his charges prepare to host second placed Banbury on Saturday. After a slow start to life back in the top flight of the Home Counties Premier League, a string of six wins in succession has seen Finches rise above everyone else to lead the field just past the halfway mark. The latest success came after a fine bowling display to beat Burnham by 95 runs with JJ Dewes and Jandre Coetzee taking five wickets apiece. The win sees the gap at the top open up to 10 points and Marles admits this weekend’s clash at Finchampstead Park is massive for the club. “It was a bit of a fairy tale last year and obviously it’s looking like that this year,” the captain told The Wokingham Paper. “If we can keep playing the cricket we have produced in the last six weeks, there’s absolutely no reason why we can’t win the league. “Four or five weeks ago I said to you maybe we’re not in the chase but now, when you get yourself in this position you’ve got to start thinking realistically. “Yes we can win the league and we’ve got to play our best cricket over the next three weeks and show how good we really are as a side.” It was not quite plain sailing for Finch as they made the trip to Burnham last weekend, one of the two sides to have beaten Marles’ men this season. After losing the toss and being put Jandre into bat the visitors Coetzee – in got off to the a numbers nightmare start, Played: 7 losing opener Matt Won: 6 Jones for a duck. Wickets continued Lost: 0 Overs bowled: 81 to tumble in the top Wickets taken: 31 and middle order with Billy Rogers and Runs conceded: Andrew House top 163 scoring with 21 each as Finch tumbled to a worrying looking 92-7. However, all was not lost as front-line
JJ Dewes helped Finchampstead rack up a sixth straight victory, taking 5-25 to help restrict Burnham to 95 all out
bowlers Coetzee and Matt Carter came in at eight and nine, hitting 51 and 41 respectively to rescue the innings and lift Finchampstead to 185 before they were bowled out. “We haven’t really had many opportunities to bat the full squad for a while and it showed Maidens: 24 Best figures: 7-16 on Saturday,” admitted Marles. Five-wicket “We were a bit hauls: 5 rusty and there % of team were a few bad wickets: 51.67 shots at the top Innings batted: 3 order. Runs: 71 “But we were Top score: 51 obviously really Batting Average: thankful that the 23.67 lads down the order got us to 185. “It was not a great position to be in at all at 92-7 but we’ve got players to get us
into winning positions and we bat right the way down. “When you’ve got Matt Carter and Jandre coming in at eight and nine, it’s scary how good we could be if we all start to get it right.
CHILTERNS LEAGUE
Binfield keen to see the Green of a cricket field NEITHER Binfield’s first or second team was in league action at the weekend. Both sides had a free week in the schedule, although for the senior section this would mean the wait for a game continued. Sean Ennis’ men will be hoping for some action when they host Littlewick
“We haven’t done that yet, our highest score is 260 I believe and that’s not really good enough from us.” While there were some issues with the bat there were no such problems with the ball. Two early wickets from Coetzee saw Burnham fall to 11-2 and after a bowling change to bring in spinner Dewes for struggling Carter, wickets began to tumble. Coetzee ended with figures of 5-34 off his 12.2 overs while Dewes managed 5-25 from just seven overs as the duo proved to be a devastating double act, bowling the hosts out for 90. “I know it’s a bit of a cliché but when you’re 92-7 and you end up getting 185, the momentum was all ours,” said Marles. “They’re a strange side Burnham. “They kept playing their shots and that kind of suited the way that JJ and Jandre were bowling. “We are very much a wicket-taking kind of side, we don’t really try and contain. “We do try to take wickets when we bowl so we’re always going to have a chance of bowling sides out for low scores.” Marles has made two changes to his side for this week’s huge Banbury clash as wicketkeeper Sukhi Kang comes in to replace Simon Bell while Dan Lincoln returns in place of Jones, having dropped out late on last week to play in a football trial match. FINCHAMPSTEAD XI v Banbury: Dan Marles (c), Sukhi Kang (wk), Matt Carter, Jandre Coetzee, JJ Dewes, Dan Lincoln, Billy Rogers, Max Uttley, Andy Rishton, Andrew House, Greg Smith.
Green on Saturday (1pm). Because of successive washouts, the Division 1 side have not played in the competition since a draw with Pinkneys Green on June 11. As a result, they have dropped down the standings to seventh. The second string, meanwhile, will be hoping the break does not interrupt their recent winning streak. Following four straight losses, the side had gone on to win their previous five games on the spin and sit fifth in the table as a result. Up next is a trip to third-placed Wraysbury this weekend (1pm).
RUGBY
Derby days cannot come soon enough for McKibbin WHILE relegation from the Aviva Premiership has served as a huge setback to London Irish, scrum-half Brendan McKibbin is relishing the chance to take on four fellow sides based in the capital, writes TOM CROCKER. Exiles join London Welsh, London Scottish, Ealing Trailfinders and Richmond in the Greene King IPA Championship, which promises a number of tasty derby encounters. “The Championship is going to be really competitive this season and there will be extra spice with the addition of the London derbies,” said McKibbin, who lives in Richmond. “As we are the team that has gone down we are naturally going to be a target for every team. “So it’s important that we keep our standards high and ensure that we are
consistent throughout the season. “We need to show every single team respect and if you don’t show them respect, you will be beaten.” He added: “Our supporters have been exceptional and we don’t want to let them down, so it’s important that we make a good start to the season. “Redemption is the key and we want to get back up to the Premiership immediately. “We never want to have the feelings that we experienced at the end of last season.” McKibbin, 30, joined Irish last summer from Super Rugby side Waratahs and spent last season in and out of the team. And the Scotland-born Australian feels he is ready to come back and fight for a regular starting spot after
a tough few sessions with the squad after a revitalising summer break across Europe. “The new management structure have certainly kept pre-season interesting and I can honestly say it has been really hard work,” he said. “There is nowhere to hide when you’re wearing live heart monitors! “Everyone is excited to be back and the new faces have brought a lot of energy along with the new management structure. “London Irish is a really good environment to be in at the moment.” n LONDON IRISH have confirmed their three opponents as part of the club’s pre-season schedule. The Exiles will play their first game since relegation from the Aviva Premiership with a clash against rivals
Harlequins at the Stoop on August 13 (3pm) in the Cunningham Duncombe Series. That will be followed by two home matches, against Nottingham Rugby and Loughborough Students, both at Hazelwood, on 19 August and 26 August respectively (both 7.30pm kick-offs). n IRISH will begin their Greene King IPA Championship campaign against Doncaster Knights at Madejski Stadium. Doncaster, who came close to promotion last season, will travel to Berkshire on September 3 while newly promoted Richmond will make the trip to face the Exiles a week later. The club’s first away trip in the second tier will be to Bedford Blues while the reverse fixture against Doncaster will close the regular season on April 15.