Firsts Triumph Over Englefield

Denham did well to restrain the powerful Englefield batting line-up to a meagre 177/8 off the maximum 52 overs.

Jamil Shaikh was the pick of the Denham bowlers with 3/37.

Denham also struggled to make headway with the bat.

It was again Jamil who was their hero with an unbeaten 44, as Denham just managed to sneak past the Englefield total with just 3 balls and 2 wickets remaining.

Points Englefield 8 Denham 29.

Denham are still 7th in the League, but only 12 points separate them from third place.

1st XI averages | League Tables

Binned at Binfield

Denham 2s travelled to Binfield on Saturday to face the league leaders on their home ground.

Binfield won the toss and inserted Denham on a slow pitch, however it proved to be the outfield that caused the batsmen the most problems.

Almost immediately the problems began as a tickle round the corner by Tobin appeared to have beaten the field for a comfortable single, but held up in the slow field leading to a quick return and fellow opener Payne being run out by some distance.

Makeshift 3-dog Mann made an increasingly settled 30 in very difficult conditions against accurate bowling, including Denham's only boundary for the first half of the innings and again JK's temperament impressed as he made 42, supported by captain Grover who opened up towards the end of the innings for 25 as runs came quicker on the drying outfield.

Schembri Snr, Sethi Snr and Atwal also contributed to a total of 137 from 52 overs.

In response, Denham's bowlers were unable to maintain the accuracy and intensity of the Binfield attack. Occasional good deliveries were interspersed with filthy long hops on a pitch where length was key, leg side dross which eventually beat longsuffering keeper Payne into submission and even a straight beamer from one captain to the other.

Binfield's batsmen were too good to turn down the free runs when they came and with the outfield quickening, Denham's punishment was complete after 25.1 overs with the home team only one wicket down.

To be fair Denham were outclassed at every discipline by a more experienced and consistent team in difficult conditions and should not be downheartened. The fielding was an improvement on previous games and everybody played up, although the bowling did look tired