Newbury bypass Windsor

Newbury 174 all out

Beat

Windsor 152 all out

After missing a weeks play due to the bad weather, Windsor 2nds again had a ‘far far and away’ fixture at Newbury CC. A changed side again due to availability issues and injuries meant a call up for veteran Dawson and Endacott. With Smith stuck in traffic, Windsor were down to 10 men to start the game, never a good move! Windsor lost the toss and were put into the field, but the wicket looked like it would do all sorts. Hill opened with Edge, the two bowlers a few yards slower than a coupe of seasons ago! Hill, swinging the ball wildly and gave Newbury some cheap runs. But Edge ploughing a furrow up hill bowled his usual miserly line and restricted the batsmen from one end. Hill removed himself after 5 overs and looked to brisk medium pace bowler Endacott to make the breakthrough. Windsor were tight on the singles in the field, but some edgy shots and some poor fielding to harder hit shots gave openers Anstey and Uden some easy runs. At drinks Windsor were looking on dodgy ground as Newbury were on 70 for 0 of 26. After drinks Endacott quickly removed batsmen 2 and 3 and Kellard then removed opener Anstey. When Kellard removed Walker, Newbury looked vulnerable on 112 for 4. Kellard continued to rattle through the middle order with his spin, and was ably backed up by Endacott. Both bowlers turned in good figures and Kellard ended with a 5 fer! Hill came back on in the dying overs to take 2 wickets and Newbury ended up losing the last wicket in the last over to Kellard for 174.

With an obtainable target on the board, Windsor went out to bat full of confidence. The unchanged opening pair of Patel and Noble looked to get after the bowlers early doors. However in the 2nd over Patel had a ball rise sharply and was out caught and bowled. In came Dawson to try and build a partnership with Noble. Hanabe then bowled 4 maidens on the trot and Windsor crept along to 27 for 1 off 11. Nobel opened his shoulders and played some glorious cover drives and Dawso found the boundary too. In the 17th over Windsor looked comfortable at 42 for 1, but Dawson was caught out followed quickly by out of form Weston. ‘Under the weather’ Smith hit some cruching shots but holed out and Bullock followed soon after cheaply. In came in form George, Windsor’s last hope, to build a stand with Noble. Both players looking good, George raced away punishing the bad balls. Noble went for a well earnt 27 and Hill came in looking to give George the strike as often as possible. Anstey was bowling a looping tempting line and both batsmen survived until Hill cut the ball onto his stumps. Edge came in determined to try and push for the win with George. Edge hot some lovely shots and the game was on. A ball pitching short of a length pea rolled on to George’s stumps for 37 almost ending Windsor’s chances. Endacott and Kellard battled bravely but had too much to do with 20 runs remaining, and Kellard was adjudged to be LBW in the 42 over, and Windsor had lost again.

Simple, not good enough!. To have extras joint top scorer at 37 is not a way to stay in this league. Batting is failing and unless partnerships are built, and solid performances are turned in, Windsor face relegation now that half the season has gone. On the positive bowling is looking OK, and the fielding is not bad, but heads shouldn’t go down after a boundary is hit. A monumental effort is need against Aldershot this weekend……