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Close - But No Cigars June 21st/22nd 2003

Denham lost all three games at the weekend but had chances in each of them.

1st XI v Penn & Tylers Green

Penn & Tylers Green got off to a wonderful start against Denham and it took Trevor Blackburn's 14 overs for 45 runs to contain them to 270/4 off 43 overs.

Denham startd very slowly in reply, then a fine partnership between 'Flash' Tobin (55) and Dave Maynard (45) brought them back in contention.

Wickets fell rather too regularly and Denham were comfortably set to settle for the draw when Stuart Payne was run out. In came last man Harish. Under strict instructions to block out the draw, Harish then proceeded to blast a quick 19. This surprised his partner Steve Bull so much that he allowed himself to be given LBW, with just an over left to survive and 35 runs short of the home side's total.

2nd XI v Hurley

Hurley were restricted to 184/8 off 52 overs. Richie Brathwaite produced a memorable opening spell (and a spectacular runnning catch to dismiss one of their dangermen), Simon Johnson also looked good, but it was the wily Phil Ashworth who did the damge (4/39 off 15 overs).

Denham slumped to 40-odd for 4, but Dave Matthews raised home hopes with a fine 41, and Richie Brathwaite pitched in with 36. Wickets tumbled. 15 were needed when last man Phil Ashworth came to the crease with 6 overs to get them in. Alas Phil got a first-ball duck and Denham 2nds had lost another close one.

Sunday XI v Gerrards Cross Sunday XI

Denham Sunday XI had the rarity of an away fixture at posh Gerrards Cross. But it wasn't so much a Gerrards Cross XI, more a Gerrards Cross VII, plus Gary and Alex Hales, and our two travelling reserves: Gerald O'Hara and Harish's son.

The home side knocked up 185 all out, courtesy of 38 from Marlow and a dominant 48 from Gary Hales. Late-on, Payne-the-not-out smashed a rapid 23. Harish (4/36) and Andy Leach (3/43) took the bulk of the wickets, but Ambrose Treacy (1/34) also bowled impressively but without much luck. Mention should be made of some fine catching and stumpings: braces of catches to Stuart Payne (including a spectacular above-his-head slip catch for the first wicket down), Richie Brathwaite (one othem removing Gary Hales) and Dave Maynard, with two fine stumpings to keeper Alan Coulson.

The Gerrards Cross lads bowled well, but the difference in the sides was their excellent fielding and throwing in. Andy Leach, with a quickfire 20 to his name, was just beginning to enjoy himselfwhen a four-bound shot was somehow plucked out of the air by a diving fielder.

Steve Bull (not out 58) again provided the anchor role. What needed was a 'hitter' in partnership with him, but althought Messrs Maynard (17), Brathwaite (20) and Payne (23) all contributed useful runs, none could stick around long enough to play the hitter's role. Stuart Payne (Payne-the-run-out, as opposed to Payne-the-not-out on the other side) may have had some cause for complaint about his run out, but the fielding part of it was very slick.

It was close right to the end, with Denham finishing up at 176/7, 9 runs short of the Gerrards Cross total. The pick of the home side's bowlers were, inevitably, Gary Hales (1/28) and his son Alex (2/36).