Windsor Patience is a Virtue
Windsor started Saturday in 3rd place 13 points behind leaders Harefield with 3 games to play.
Opposition this week was Gerrards Cross who themselves came with everything to play for to ensure relegation survival.
Windsor won the toss and elected to bat – the plan was simple smash 220 as quick as possible and utilise the spare overs to force a result giving the Cross enough time to incentivise the run chase and for Windsor to bowl them out.
Music to the ears of “Whirlwind” Kris Baumgartner who laid into the Cross attack with a series of breathtaking boundaries – In 7 overs Windsor reached 52 without loss , with the whirlwind on 48.
Kris was dismissed for lbw 66 and created the perfect platform to allow Windsor to push on for an early declaration. Windsors exuberance to the master plan, almost took a set back as 3 wickets fell to some tidy bowling – the wave shifted Windsors way as experienced James Mace took command (52) with his young apprentice Adam Allen Turner (36) with some really intelligent batting with quick singles and selective boundary hitting.
Windsor reached the required landmark of 226 in the 46th over and declared allowing the Cross 54 overs on a decent batting track.
Windsor opened with the old ball using the familiar duo of “master blaster” Tom Hartridge and orthodox left arm spin of Mark Lines. Lines picked up the early wicket of Mohammed in the 4th over. This bought in young left hander A Woodland who with an impressive technique forced a bowling change early on as the old ball was not working for the opening duo.
skipper Mohindru bought himself on with Chris Kellard to try and open up the game before changing the ball. Mohindru made an immediate impact removing Grewal with a top catch from Kris Baumgartner at mid off
With left-hander Woodland in control and being ably assisted by Choudry – Windsor had to rotate the bowling with pitch offering very little resistance.
Lines finally made the breakthrough to the tempo at the score of 101 in over 31. With an achievable run chase on the books this proved an ideal opportunity for Mohindru to prey on the exuberant stroke makers, Mohindru started a mini collapse with slow motion athletic piece of fielding from his own bowling running out the Gerrards Cross skipper with a direct hit at the strikers end. He then followed with 3 wickets in the space of 3 overs as the captain finished with welcome figures of 4-28.
Quite astonishingly with 12 overs remaining and relegation saving points needed by the batting team, instructions came out from the pavilion to play for the draw with 8 down. Frustration set in by the fielding team as the fielders made their thoughts clear and this incentivised the young Woodland to dig in looking un moveable.
Windsor then elected to take the new ball. Hartridge was bought into the game and with generating good pace managed to bowl the ball of the day that squared Woodland (88) catching the outside edge to the grateful hands of Kris Baumgartner at 4th slip.
Allen Turner quickly removed Keoh (21) thanks to another piece of athletic fielding from a 1 handed overhead catch by veteran Mohindru at mid off.
The closing piece of action came from Tommy Hartridge who terrorised their number 11 with a classic one-two, consisting of a viscous short ball followed by the yorker which smashed the stumps.
Gerrards Cross closing on 160 all out in the 46th over.
The plan worked to a tee as Windsors patience paid of despite the frustrations of Gerrards Cross trying to close shop where points were still on offer. Windsor picked up 25 and Gerrards cross 3 points including a 1 point deduction for a slow over rate.
The results at the end of the day saw Harefield stumble to a draw, and Cookham Dean taking top spot with a 25 point win spot and closing with a 7 point cushion over their rivals into the penultimate week.
Windsor will face Finchampstead who will no doubt provide a tougher proposition with an experienced line up who have found themselves in relegation threat. With a win required by both theres all to play for by Windsor as this season culminates into an exciting finale.