Ist XI: Drat Fenwick

Another Fenwick, another trouble-maker

James Nicholas's Report

Denham won the toss and put Little Marlow into bat.

Dangermen Glennister and Callaghan were both dismissed cheaply and although Little Marlow scored quickly, Denham took regular wickets leaving the opposition struggling at 199/5.

However dropped catches cost Denham dear, and the hard-hitting Fenwick punished Denham for their errors, scoring an undefeated hundred, leaving Denham 297 to win from their 48 overs.

The Denham reply got off badly losing Khan, Nicholas and Tobin cheaply.

Lee Webber and Russell Bowry fought back hard to add 70 for the 4th wicket. The victory was well out of sight for Denham by this stage, but if they could get to 200 they could at least get full batting points.

When Lee and Russell were out, scoring 40 and 42 respectively, and Dave Maynard was also dismissed for just 2, it was left to Joe O'Hara and Faisal Mahmood to add an unbeaten 68 for the 7th wicket to see out the draw and with it, to propel Denham past the 200 mark.

Match drawn: Little Marlow 15pts Denham 8pts

Denham are still top, 20 points clear of Winchmore Hill, with Littlewick Green a further 11 behind them

2nd XI : Englefield Disaster

Skipper Payne's Report

After the disappointment of last weeks defeat at Braywood, Denham 2's returned to a home match with Englefield.

Losing the toss we were put in on wicket whose preparation had been affected by the weather during the week.

Dalts started off like a man in prime form, 5 of the 7 first scoring strokes scorching to the boundary. However, in the attempt to complete a quick single, batsmen Dalton and Payne resembled a couple of rhinoceri attempting a pas de deux. A direct hit by the fielder saw the end of Dalton.

And then the carnage began. 23 for 0 became 33 for 7, with the ball seming to bounce erratically almost every delivery. Was Dalts a Lara-like genius, or had they fed him full tosses and half volleys?

Gerald O'Hara strode to the crease, and displaying the family's qualities of a good eye, and wide shoulders, succeeded, with Richie's aid, to add 42 before departing to a catch on the boundary.

All out for 70, we needed some sort of bowling miracle to pull this round. It was not to be, the normally accurate Ron Lewis was hit for 26 off 5 overs, and opener Eckersley, knowing they only needed 71 to win, batted aggressively for 36, before Gerald scuttled him with his second ball. To be fair, the ball hit one of the prongs of the stump buried in the wicket, the ball stayed so low.

Englefield completed their victory with the loss of only 3 wickets.

Back to the drawing board, with another home game against Amersham Hill next week, we need to get back to winning ways.

Points: Denham 1, Englefield 20.

Sunday XI 10th July:

Abandoned

Versus Academicals.

Denham were inserted onto a pitch which seemed to play better than it had the previous day.

There was a relatively cautious start from Stuart Payne and Faisal Mahmood, and this continued after Payne was dismissed for 8 and Bobby Rai came to the wicket.

Mahmood was the next out for 30 leaving Denham 75/2 at the halfway point.

James Nicholas and Bobby Rai then got the score ticking over and when Nicholas was out for 24, the score had moved along to 155/3 from 31 overs, with Bobby passing his 50.

Bobby soon departed for a well fought 67. On taking guard, Denham's next batsman to the crease had something said to him, perhaps said something back. Matters jumped out of control before wise heads could intervene, and the sides decided to to agree to disagreee.