CHILCOMPTON SPORTS 287-4 TIMSBURY 284-6
After Chew Magna conceded in the League, Chili managed to arrange a friendly with Timsbury on a Saharan-like Saturday.
Once the two skippers agreed to a forty-over blast ahead of two Twenty-20s, Captain, Ben Futcher, remained consistent by losing the toss and leading his team out to field.
With both weather and ground favouring batting, the away side were toiling early on, struggling for inspiration from their bowling and fielding alike. Despite this, some chances were created (but ultimately wasted), as Timsbury punished their lacklustre (and at times bizarre) nature with a no-nonsense approach to runs.
After what felt like an age, the two openers were both dismissed for 84; Dave Travis taking a grab off the perseverant James Purchase (1-40), then Adam Deverill sneaked a stumping off Sam Hudson’s spinners.
The following batsmen brought the familiar frustration back; however, Nathan Crocker’s head was literally cooler than most to bowl his man, and Jack Ford had some overdue respite with a wicket of his own. Alex Fudge underlined his wildcard reputation as a slim Shane Warne by taking two and his impressively solid final over helped keep the hosts under 300.
Following some lovely, deserved rest and nourishment, Travis and Fudge were asked to set a platform, but Travis fished at one outside off early on. Deverill replaced him and found some gaps while Fudge melted in the afternoon sun, yet remained aesthetically-pleasing, staying fluent and hitting some glorious boundaries.
However, the former feathered one behind before Fudge (31) got a cracking off-cutter to leave Purchase and Jack Ford with plenty to do – this was where the game’s pivotal partnership developed. Both were tested at first but became equally effective; Ford in his elegant, yet destructive, style stroking the ball to every corner, and Purchase driving well while punishing the wayward deliveries.
Each reached 50, but instead of reaching a plateau-like Viral Kohli, kicked through the gears and found ‘sports’ mode. Subsequently, the target was in sight; a blip occurred at the death as Ford finally succumbed in the deep for 97, so Rivers swaggered in looking to seal it with Purchase, who had just sealed his hundred, in the last over.
He proceeded to dance down the track and miss the first ball, only for the keeper to fumble. Nerves increased for those observing, but at the second time of trying, Rivers flicked a four to the short rope and completed a satisfying victory in an extremely worthwhile mid-season friendly, so that cold showers could be enjoyed by all three balls early. An excellent game and a big thanks to Timsbury for the stepping in to offer a match at such late notice.