Usman Khan takes out Datchet top order

Tring Park 2nd XI were without two regulars; opening bowler Paul Orton and wicket keeper Steve Dutch. So you may have wondered what would happen. But after just over half an hour replacement opening bowler Usman Khan had taken three wickets all caught by stand in keeper Matt Bowyer.

So first blood to Tring Park, but all through this game the fortunes swung one way and then the other. From 37 for 3 Datchet recovered with a fourth wicket partnership of 68 between Mark George and Tom Jones. After Jones was out, as he clipped Ash Haw’s full toss to Tom Calder at square leg, Tring Park rallied with two more quick wickets to reduce Datchet to 118 for 6. There was then a further recovery as 105 were scored for the next two wickets. George was ninth out for 96 from the first ball of the fiftieth over and Khan completed his five wicket haul two balls later.

Tring Park had been left the task of scoring 240 for victory in fifty overs. Things stared well with Bowyer scoring freely while Rich Ambrose kept the other end going. Bowyer was out for a nearly run a ball 56 as he chipped the ball to mid off. Tring Park then slumped as the next three batsman scored just 22 between them and Ambrose was caught by a good juggling catch by Usman Ali. Dan Plumeridge and Toby Wastling put on 51 for the sixth wicket in just over seven overs. But Tring Park were left with the uphill struggle of needing 42 runs from six overs, which is never likely to be easy in a match with no fielding restrictions. With Wastling and Khan at the wicket there was still a chance, but having hit consecutive balls for four and six, Khan was caught. Twelve were needed from the last over and Wastling tried for a maximum from the first ball only to be caught on the pavilion boundary, leaving Tring little option to bat out the final five balls for a draw.