Ist XI: Bloody Rain...

James Nicholas's Report

With Denham in 2nd place challenging for promotion and the season drawing to a close,the match against 3rd placed Littlewick Green was arguably Denham's most important game for years.

Skipper James Nicholas cunningly lost the toss and were asked to field. This is exactly as he wanted, as Denham would be able to score more points batting second after losing the toss than if they had elected to field on winning it.

The fire of the Denham steam train was soon stoked with both Jack Grover and Usman Khan taking early wickets, leaving Littlewick Green in trouble on 46/4.

A partnership then developed and it wasn't until James Nicholas brought himself onto bowl with the score on about 90/4, and struck with the final ball of his first over, that Denham found themselves back on top.

At this point the heavens were providing an unwanted source of refreshment and with the ball resembling more a bar of soap then a red stitched piece of leather, the players sought cover in the club house. The Littlewick Green innings was duly reduced to 36 overs giving them a further 10 to face when play resumed.

James, assisted by Jamil Shaikh at the other end, bowled these remaining overs reasonably frugally and picked up a few more wickets along the way. Denham were set the formidable, but attainable target of 180 to win from 32 overs.

Denham got off to the worst possible start, losing their first 3 wickets for just 24 runs. Lee Webber and the 'Run Machine' Bobby Rai (promoted from the 2s) then set about rebuilding the Denham innings. They took the score onto 98/3 from 21 overs before Lee was run out for 18. The big hitting Joe O'Hara saw his stumps rearranged first ball and Denham, from being in a position where they stood a chance of winning, were back in trouble.

A superb partnership between Bobby and Dave Maynard followed which took Denham back into the hunt. However both perished to Littlewick Green bowler Darcy with only 17 runs for victory. Dave made 33 and Bobby a fine 70, as he did in the same fixture last year.

It was left to Dave Hales and James Nicholas to see out the draw in fading light, leaving the fate of their promotion prospects in their own hands.

Points: Littlewick Green 12, Denham 7.

Denham did at least gain 1 point back on the leaders Winchmore Hill, whose game was abandoned after only 16 overs: they got 6 points, to leave them still 6 points ahead of Denham, with a game in hand.

Match Scorecard

League Tables, 14/8/05 | 1st Team Averages 08/08/05

2nd XI :

Match Abandoned

2nd XI averages 14/08/05

Sunday XI 14th August:

Bhatting and Bowryling

(or Old Bhatt, New Bat)

Jack Grover's Report

A confident Denham side under the captaincy of Jack Grover gave a convincing and domineering performance to trounce a young Uxbridge 2nds team at Cheapside Lane in changeable conditions.

The day began well with Denham winning the toss and electing to bat, as Saturday's game had shown the pitch to be difficult to bat on, but holding rewards for those willing to apply themselves and graft.

However demons had been rolled into it overnight, and Bobby Rai was the first to fall victim to their pranks, as one flew off a length and clipped his glove on the way to slip.

Shaikh and Payne steadied the ship before leg spinner Ash took Payne lbw, and then bowled this reporter for a 4-ball duck with a ripper that turned about 3 feet.

Steve Bull arrived at the wicket and played a measured innings, making a solid 23 before being run out backing up at the non-striker's end as the bowler feathered a straight drive from the batsman onto the stumps - an extremely rare and unlucky dismissal after dealing with the variable bounce so well.

With Jamil Shaikh also having departed after a fine innings of 21, considering the slow pace of the pitch, it was up to the tail to raise the score to a defendable total.

All chipped in, most notably Joe O'Hara (30) and Harish Bhatt with his new dreadnought class bat. Sending the ball to all parts of the ground he scored a rapid 22, including some strong edges. "He paid for the whole bat, he may as well use all of it," quipped Payne from square leg. Probably. (However this would be wrong, as the bat was a gift.)

After tea an invigorated Denham team took to the field to defend the daunting total of 175. The unorthodox placement of Harish on the extra cover boundary for the first ball was the first of an inspired series of Vaughan-esque field settings and bowling changes, as the ball was struck straight to him, and three runs saved.

The opening bowlers both performed economically and Gerald O'Hara was unlucky not to take any wickets, finishing with figures of 0 for 17 off his 8 overs.

A superb diving catch by Russell Bowry off the bowling of Braithwaite began the relentless onslaught of the Denham wicket-taking machine. Not content with this effort, Bowry took the ball, left his spinning finger in the changing room and bowled four overs of nippy seam up. There was further evidence of Jack "Brearley" Grover's inspiration as the captain moved himself to second slip, taking the anticipated edge just four balls later. Russell took a second excellent diving catch off his own bowling, and finished with figures of 3 for 1.Just what the club needed - another 1st team batsman bowling seamers.

At the other end, Joe O'Hara replaced his younger brother and soon took two quick wickets. The field closed in for the hat-trick ball and Farley sent down a delivery that the batsman could not stop from dislodging the bails. Admitted it was a beamer to the gut that trickled onto the stumps after winding the batsman and therefore a no ball, but the next legal ball saw Joe send his rabbit back to the hutch.

Therefore two jugs are required - one for a hat-trick of sorts as Joe took three wickets in as many legal balls, and one as a penalty for jug avoidance as he didn't do it properly first time.

Uxbridge were now dangerously short of wickets, yet Denham's appetite for local derby results was sharper than ever. In another astute move by the captain, Harish Bhatt was brought into the attack, and took a wicket in his first over. Meanwhile his son, Kerval, was bowling a tight spell at the far end, his first two overs going for just 4 before the Uxbridge opener Suleman decided he was running out of partners and started to push the score along at Kerval's expense.

It was now that the skipper decided it was time to flex his spinning finger as well as his cricketing brain and the crowd were treated to what they came to see - some first class slow left arm. Sure enough, after tossing a couple up so Richie B could practise his dropping at long off, Grover turned one from the footmarks 6 inches outside the batsman's leg stump to remove the off bail. Disappointment for Suleman as he had scored 72 of Uxbridge's 98 runs and would otherwise have carried his bat.

Since Uxbridge's final man did not emerge from the pavilion due to a broken thumb the wicket signalled the end of the game in which everyone played an important part. A great team performance.

Denham 175 a.o. (40 overs), Uxbridge 2nd XI 98 a.o. (27.5 overs)