How to lose a title in 20 overs

CHISWICK & LATYMER 3 228-9 (Hill 57-4)
WINDSOR 2 155 (Bullock 40)

A stuttering end of season run-in finally caught up with Windsor as the final game of the season saw them comprehensively outplayed by an already relegated team to deny them the league title on the last weekend of the season.

Although considerably weakened to allow other Windsor sides fighting relegation to be strengthened after losing the toss and being asked to field on a baking hot day Windsor were in the box seat at the halfway mark after Alex Hill and Vignesh Venkatramen had both taken 2 wickets apiece and Windsor had reduced Chiswick to 89-5. The tight bowling and sharp fielding however, which had been a hallmark of the sides success then suddenly deserted them as the fielding effort went awry. Catches were dropped, overthrows conceded and usual half-chances that previously had been converted were just too high or dropped just short. However, coupled with some good clean hitting despite being 9 down, Chiswick rode their innings out to set Windsor an imposing 229 to win.

With some prolific batsmen missing it was up to the top order to steady the run chase and give Windsor something to dart at in the closing stages. However a suicidal run out by Noble and considering what was at stake some poor shot selection by others in the top order saw Windsor’s chase become increasingly difficult. Only a solid partnership between Tom Bullock (40) and the much improved Ben Lickley (20) managed to stablise the situation and as the afternoon progressed it became clear that a win would not be required but maximum batting points of 200 would see the title claimed. However, after Lickley was bowled, he was quickly followed by Hill and with Bullock taking on the bulk of the run scoring when he was out caught at Long On it was too big a task for the tail to handle and although a brisk 18 by Rob Hodgson gave some entertainment Windsor knew the best chance they had of winning the title had been thrown away.

It was an ultimately disappointing end to what in reality has been a fantastic season for Windsor with the main aim of promotion secured it was such a shame that they couldn’t complete the icing on the cake with the title but congratulations to Slough who continued chasing all the way and we look forward to seeing them in Division 3 next year.