Pinkneys Green Vs. Stoke Row
Date: 8th August, 2009.
Venue: Pinkneys Green.
Toss: Stoke Row won the toss and elected to bat.
Result: Pinkneys Green (8) lost to Stoke Row (34) by 5 runs.
Pitch:A tad green but a fine track for batting on.
Weather: Sunny all day and hopefully a precursor for the final three weeks of the season.
Highlights: Will Macdonald’s mesmeric 69 (the best this correspondent has seen him bat), the vital 9th wicket stand between Rich Ashton (34*) and Toby Fenn (17); Michael Elliott’s 4-29. In reply, Damian Atherton struck a fluid 39, Jags Dhillon 35. Sam Boughton (3-39) bowled exceptionally, and, sadly, there is only one ‘golden-arm’ at Stoke Row – Christopher Young (0.4-0.6-2) read further!!
Catering: An excellent standard in terms of quality, but again, quantity was slightly lacking. Four loaves really isn’t enough, with five the bare minimum and six the appropriate level in this reporter’s mind. The heated garlic bread was a delightful bonus, although further cakes would have been appreciated, especially in light of what has been provided at Newlands Lane over the preceding few weeks.
Report: Stoke Row claimed a thrilling and critical five run victory at Pinkneys Green last Saturday in a game which ultimately may have blown their outside championship hopes for good. With crucial spin bowlers Will Macdonald and Dion Sampson both carted off to the Royal Berkshire Hospital at the culmination of this epic contest – one where Pinkneys completely defied their lowly second bottom position – it appears that the Maharajas are likely to suffer something of the ‘Flintoff-effect’ come the final three games of the season.
On a beautiful summer’s day at Pinkneys Green, Stoke Row captain Rich Ashton successfully called heads and elected to bat first on a track which was tinged with green but which appeared ideally suited for batting. Alas, a fine brace of opening spells from Damian Atherton and Jags Dhillon quickly reduced Stoke Row to 16-2, with run machines Nick Howell (0) and Sam Boughton (2) dismissed in rapid order.
A rearguard effort from the irrepressible Macdonald, allied by his protégé Sam Flethcer, helped push Row back into the game. With both displaying considerable patience and skill, they were able to advance the score to 79-2 at the culmination of the 22nd over, which heralded drinks.
Alas, this excellent partnership was broken immediately following this interlude, as Pinkneys skipper Peter Brant was able to hurry a ball through Fletcher who was dismissed for 24. This breakthrough saw the ever-impressive Rich Armstrong enter the arena, and, again, he displayed the most exquisite of touches. In terms of young players, only Mortimer West End’s Graham Mackenzie can even compete with this 15 year old future star.
Another sizeable partnership was fashioned between Macdonald and Armstrong, with the former moving to a chanceless half century when he drove the most exquisite of cover drives off Brant for a boundary. Further progress was finally scuppered when the opener was well held on the extra cover boundary by Atherton off the bowling of Brant – Macdonald dismissed for 69.
As has sadly often been their wont, Row then suffered something of a middle order collapse – tumbling from 129-3 to 142-8. Following Macdonald’s dismissal, Armstrong was caught, Darren Clark trapped L.B.W. to a very questionable decision, Christopher Young caught at long off and Dion Sampson stumped first ball.
However, Ashton and Toby Fenn proceeded to bat with a calmness and maturity which truly defied their usually belligerent and somewhat irresponsible approach to batsmanship. Running hard and refusing to play the big shot unless perfectly positioned, as Ashton was to a brace of Dhillon leg side half volleys which went the distance, the duo added a decisive 42 until Fenn was unfortunately bowled off an inside edge.
Yet further evidence of Stoke Row’s seasonal maturity was shown as Josh Browne ably assisted in helping his skipper add a further unbeaten 12 runs for the final wicket which resulted in Row posting a healthy, albeit chaseable, 196-9.
In reply, as they so often do, Stoke Row took the old ball, and it took very little time for the irrepressible Macdonald to dismiss Kevin Cox. Shortly after, Dion Sampson bowled a stunning delivery, very much ‘Warne-esque’ to snare Ricky Lashley, caught at slip by, ‘you-guessed-it’, Macdonald.
Sadly, in his fifth over, Nihan Peiris smashed a caught and bowled chance back to Macdonald who again misjudged it (Messrs. Seward, Belcher and Sana have been previous beneficiaries) but alas this was the time when an injury was finally occurred. Thus Stoke Row may regard this a very expensive victory.
With Macdonald off the park, Row took the new ball and Toby Fenn and Nick Howell bowled with decent hostility. Despite Peiris and the excellent Jags Dhillon striking a succession of boundaries, the bowlers held their nerve – Fenn’s bouncer induced an edge from Peiris and Howell’s movement saw Dhillon caught at gully by Sampson. Pinkneys were 98-4 at drinks.
A tactical masterstroke saw the introduction of Boughton post liquid-refreshment, and he proceeded to bowl his finest spell since his (5-36) vs. Yateley in 2006 (the 4-47 at Crown Wood last year closely followed). Bowling at pace and swinging the ball both ways, his destructive (3-39) left the game evenly balanced at 166-7. Allied to this sensational spell was a display of fielding topping even Row’s greatest heights – balls that should never have been stopped were, and, substitute fielder Marcus Lunnon took an incredible catch, running 20 yards at backward point before claiming the toughest of chances over his shoulder.
Yet Damian Atherton and Steve Greene continued to fight for Pinkneys Green, and the latter was able to utilise the pace of Boughton in striking to boundaries backward of square to advance the score to 181-7.
The return of Dion Sampson struck a pivotal blow, trapping Greene leg before with a ball that pitched on leg and would have struck middle to the left handed batsman. However, number ten, Michael Davey, fresh from a half century against champions Mortimer West End a couple of weeks ago, is no mean customer with the bat, and, at the end of South African Sampson’s over, Pinkneys stood at 185-8.
It is often stated that it is better to be ‘lucky’ than ‘good’. This may prove to be a motto for Stoke Row following Ashton’s decision to remove the aforementioned Boughton from the attack, and to replace him with Young, who had not bowled competitively in 13 weeks. Alas, the experienced Young knows his proverbial game. He will bowl straight.
Alas this does not always work. A decent delivery pitching on middle and off was smote away by Atheton for six over extra cover. Next ball, however, a repeat attempt resulted in the batsman being clean bowled, and Young looking so pumped up that he would have killed a rhinoceros were it present. The next ball was missed down the leg side, before Elliott was trapped plum in front to end an incredible game. By this stage Young resembled a purple skittle and had further written his name into Stoke Row folklore. Only with the other weekend results was his decisive performance put into full perspective.
Thus Stoke Row’s miniscule title hopes remained alive, and the other FNG-BCL games would have encouraged them but for the twin Macdonald-Sampson injuries. As it was, Swindon NALGO have regained top spot following their 6 wicket victory over Crown Wood. Usman Sahar’s three wickets helped NALGO, as did Bobby Saeed’s 3-30. Tham Wedatalike struck 59 for CW in their 147 All Out. In reply, Shoayb Rahman struck 69 to help Sn reach 150-4.
2nd placed Sandhurst may arguably be the new favourites, with a pleasant run-in and a 106 run triumph over Sulhamstead propelling them. Aron Shallom (78), Ashfaq Rahman (74 off 51) and Anthony Clapham (64*) helped the Yorktown Road side to 252-4. In reply, Sulhamstead were blown away for 146, with Jamie Gayle taking 4-25.
Third placed Grosvenor will perhaps feel extremely hard done by following a stunning game against Peppard. Having posted 165-9 (Andy Watts 5-45 at this old stomping ground), Peppard were reduced to 7-4, and 83-9 following 27 overs – Mohammad Rizwan 6-17. The experienced alliance of Roy Hayden (28*) and Mick Chard (26*)salvaged an incredible draw, batting 18 overs to ensure both sides remain in the title hunt with 3 weeks to play.
Lastly, Mortimer West End dropped to fourth following a flabbergasting second defeat to rock bottom Emmbrook & Bearwood. Having restricted the hosts to 187, MWE fell apart despite Kenny Allsobrook’s brave 43 to leave everything wide open amongst the top four.
