Fourth Team Make It Datchet Double

On a wicket that offered a bit to the bowlers the Fourth Team were reduced to 51-5 off from 21 overs with opening bowler Omar Arif picking up four wickets. Fortunately on this day the Fourth team batted deep and John Graham with 28 and Ian Ridley (pictured) coming in at nine scored an unbeaten 32 to the Fourth Team scramble to 162 all out off 51 overs.

In reply the Fourth Team got off to a great start when Alan Sheppard took a stunning catch off the hostile James Gurnett in the third over to dismiss opener Rhys Williams without scoring. But when Gurnett damaged his ankle and had to leave the field and with John Graham hobbling badly things, the game felt it was turning against the Fourth Team.

With Datchet comfortable at 60-1, Nick Wale sparked the game into life running out Datchet’s premier batsman Theunis Jackson by hitting the only stump he had to aim at. Pace off the ball started to cause Datchet problems , youth and experience in the shape of Harry Grinham and captain Grout backed by excellent catching and fielding turned the game round.

Grinham and Grout choked the Datchet middle order as they lost five wickets and slumped to 117-7. The evergeen Ian Ridley picked a couple of wickets and reduced Datchett to nine wickets down, and it was let to Toby Seagrave to pick up the final wicket as he induced Gurmehar Sumra into a false shot and was caught by Kumar Krishna to end the innings and give the Fourth Team victory by 14 runs.