Payne Hundred As First Team Draw

In the opening over Simon Stanway went up for a confident appeal against Conrad Louth who charged out of his crease and was brilliantly run out by David Burnell, one of two youngsters welcomed back from school duties.

High Wycombe moved along slowly as the First Team consistently chipped away at the wickets. In the 11th over, Stanway picked up his first, as Edmund Casterton was caught in the slips by Charlie Macdonell. The third wicket followed in the next over with Mo Choudhry finding the edge of opposition captain Dan Marles and Chloe Hill took an excellent catch behind.

It was now obvious that High Wycombe’s batsmen were intent on playing Stanway by moving out of their crease. The First Team responded with Hill standing up. This contributed to Stanway’s next wicket as Matthew Gouldstone was trapped LBW.

Andy Harris came into the attack and quickly gave Macdonell his second catch in the slips, which was shortly followed with a second, when he clean bowled Adam Dobb to finish with figures of 2-34. Michael Payne (pictured) also chipped in taking 3-57 from a 14 over spell.

With High Wycombe on 70-6, the First Team was in a very good position but with some solid batting from Cameron Parsons and Tom Hampton saw the hosts put put on 134 for the seventh wicket. Some power hitting at the end saw High Wycombe dismissed for 256 in the 64th over.

AJ Woodland had a new opening partner in Burnell and the pair looked solid and at ease at the crease. Woodland was then strangled down the leg side, caught behind for 22 and was immediately followed by Steve Clark. Burnell’s contributed 22 before being bowled and after a stand of 61 between Payne and Macdonell, Macdonell was next to go, stumped on 27.

Payne held the First Team innings together and responded with a brilliant century, his first for the club since 2015. He scored at a decent pace finishing 100 not out from only 104 balls. He received good support from Sheridon Gumbs who made a very good 3. Gumbs was run out and it was left to Choudhry to join Payne and see out the last few overs as the First Team finished on 229-6 to secure a draw.