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Henley’s seamers leave Finchampstead reeling
AN impressive bowling attack ensured HENLEY got back to winning ways last Saturday as they defeated visitors FINCHAMPSTEAD by seven wickets.
Henley’s bowlers demolished their opposition for a meagre 55 runs in 22.3 overs and made light work of the run chase, closing out the Home Counties Premier League Division 1 clash in just 8.2 overs.
Winning the toss on a glorious if slightly breezy morning, Finchampstead decided to bat.
Three balls in, Tommy Predgen was trudging back to the pavilion, caught at second slip by skipper Tom Nugent off the bowling of Tom Scriven who steamed in from the Remenham Hill End in fine form and was simply too good for the Finch batters. Nugent’s first over was a maiden before Scriven struck again off the first ball of the third to remove Finchampstead’s overseas player Chris Britz, smartly taken low down at first slip by Henley’s Antipodean import from the East Torrens club in Adelaide, Jack Turner, who was making his first team debut.
Surviving opener Ben Moffat and incoming skipper Greg Smith managed to put 21 runs on the board before Moffat became Scriven’s third victim while Smith walked smartly off following an appeal for caught behind for which he might at least have waited for the umpire’s finger to be raised.
Michael O’Donahue, halfway to the wicket before Moffat had left, was soon making his way back thanks to a slick take low to his right by wicket-keeper Stewart Davison, soon followed by Jed Crerar whose perpendicular bat eluded a wicket bound ball.
Seamers Nugent and Scriven bowled out their allotted 10 overs apiece, by which time Finchampstead were 51-9. Guy Ashby’s extravagant drive was caught at point. A second consecutive big appeal for lbw against Lewis Sharp gave Nugent (3-23) his third wicket, and Zac Leonnard’s resistance ended when he skied Scriven to mid-off to make that 6-28 for the Leicestershire man.
Shaariq Sheikh followed up a maiden over by bowling Bulteel to leave the visitors all out for just 55.
Henley’s response was a formality albeit Finch picked up a few bowling points.
A Johnny Connell cover drive was well caught by Moffat. Scriven extravagantly fluffed an attempted ramp shot and Archie Carter failed to clear mid-off.
Dalrymple (21 off 11 balls including three fours and a six) was on hand to wrap up victory with a boundary and it was all over by just after 2pm.
Tomorrow (Saturday) Henley face a tougher test when they travel to league leaders High Wycombe (11.30am) when the league programme changes from 50 over to timed cricket with the ball.
