CHILCOMPTON SPORTS SATURDAY 2nd XI 201-6 CARSONS MANGOTSFIELD 2nd XI 200-9

On a baking hot day, Chilcompton Seconds welcomed Carsons Mangotsfield to the picturesque CSG. Chili captain Jon Burgess promptly lost the toss and with the away side opting to bat first, Burgess called for a motivational team talk in the bar.

Despite the early wicket and some tight lines by the bowlers, Chili were struggling to make any more marks in the wickets column as a pair of Wallages (M. and A.) started to build a strong partnership aided by a lightening-quick outfield – some suspect fielding and dubious umpiring. Firstly, Longden tipped one over the bar for a 6 when it looked easier to catch, and then Captain, Burgess, made his own comedy walk by stumbling and bumbling for what would have been an easy catch to any athletic cricketer.

With Carsons now looking well-set for a big score, the Wallage partnership was broken thanks to a Christer floater, which was well-caught by Longden low down to his left and A. Wallage left the field with a credible 47. From then on it was all systems go for Chili, and as Jonty Burgess identified a number of junior batsmen due out to the crease he promptly put himself on to bowl, ending with figures of 4-38 off his eight overs and ruining a few young batsmens’ afternoon.

However, it was arguably Harvey Hadrill who was the pick of the bowlers, sent on at the death, picking up the key wicket of the other skipper, M.Wallage, for 80 and ending with figures of 2-18 off his four overs. Chili couldn’t quite manage to take all ten wickets, with Carsons finishing up with a creditable, but achievable, 200-9 off the forty overs.

It was time for the Chili batsmen to set about chasing a target of 201, but the start was not what they hoped as the evergreen Dave Travis, who had been hitting runs for fun in previous weeks was bowled for one by Thatcher, bringing Paul Dening to the crease. Between Dening and the other opener, Jon Loud, Chili soon got the scoreboard ticking nicely, mainly thanks to Loud, who quickly scored 29 runs, including hitting arguably the biggest six seen at the CSG.

When Loud was bowled for 29, and then the impressive-looking Tom Hancock soon after, the game appeared to be swinging the way of the away team, with Chili at 45-3 after eleven overs. Steve Longden joined Dening at the square in what proved to be a game-changing partnership. The two men started to build on what turned out to be a game-winning partnership of 128 runs off 126 balls.

Dening eloquently picked off the bowlers one by one, hitting some beautiful boundaries as he ticked past fifty runs with consummate ease. Coached superbly by Dening, Longden at the other end was also contributing well and even surprised himself when he reached his maiden Saturday 50 with a leg glance off the hips.

Feeling the strain of batting for 21 overs instead of the normal two, Longden’s time at the crease came to an end, but not before a trademark slog to cow corner for six, ending on 56 runs. This majestic partnership took Chili to 173-4 from 32 overs, and when Dening finally holed out for a brilliant 72 with the score on 192, just as he did with the bowling, Captain Burgess saw another opportunity to take all the glory and quickly got his pads on to go out and hit the winning four with two overs to spare.

Dave Travis