2nd XI v Windlesham House 14.6.2017 Home
Amesbury 141/9 Windlesham 122
Won by 19 runs
A tight and exciting game, which see-sawed in both innings, saw us clinch victory at the end of a long, baking-hot day. Amesbury were inserted, to our relief, and made a flying start, 80/2 off just 11 overs, though we gifted both wickets through run outs. The visitors were ostensibly hot, demoralised and struggling, and Amesbury were on the brink, it seemed, of a truly intimidating total; one cross-batted heave and a third suicidal run out later, the game had changed with the fielders galvanised, urging their bowlers on and backing them up with some really impressive fielding, and Amesbury swiftly subsided to 117/8 before the tail wagged sufficiently, and crucially as it turned out, to get us up to 141, with several of our team having their first innings of the season.
The pattern of our innings was followed by Windlesham’s. Our opening bowlers, who have given us such control this season, had their one off-day simultaneously and even the first-change, who had dominated the Highfield match, were not as tight as usual with the result that Windlesham flew to 88/2 before collapsing to 98/7 in similar fashion to us. With the pressure of a score to chase and a run-rate to maintain, their last remaining strong batsman had a hoick, missed and was bowled, having played very well thitherto, and the last seven batsmen contributed just 16. Two of our younger bowlers were the stars this time and they were backed up by some excellent catching. The last over had to be bowled by our spinner with two very short boundaries to protect; thanks to our last wicket stand the visitors needed 20 to win rather than 6, thus placing all the pressure on the batsmen.
Thus we finished the season with the pleasing record of Played 5 Won 5; my thanks to all the players for their enthusiasm and skill during a very enjoyable season which encompassed rain, sleet, hail, gale-force winds, heatwaves, accurate bowling, successful batting and outstanding catching. Well played, everyone!
Mr Hamilton
