Windsor 2’s 234 for 7 off 51 Overs (Lines 60, P Huggins 58)
British Airways 1’s 235 for 9 off 28.4 Overs (Fiazal 62, Edge 5-68)
After a strong start to the season, the visit of British Airways to Home Park was always seen as a test of the credentials of the Windsor 2nd Team, and the resulting game would prove to be a classic. On what looked to be a good deck, BA skipper Raj asked Windsor to bat first.
Windsor openers Huggins and Channa took a measured approach to the start of the game as good BA bowling had them pegged back somewhat, but by managing to put away the bad balls, still recorded the first 50 opening stand of the season. When Chana was finally dismissed for 38, Windsor had cantered onto to 60 off 18 overs. Lines continued the hard work as both he and Huggins built upon the good start, his on-drives in particular were sweetly timed. The Windsor total continued to build despite the loss of both Huggins (58) and Lines (60) shortly after passing the 50 mark, which left Charters and Murray to continue the attack. Windsor passed the 200 mark with 8 overs still to go in the innings, but a mini-collapse saw the runs dry up and Windsor reached 234 for 7 off 51 overs when skipper Davis declared the now spluttering innings. How crucial the extra over would prove to be has yet to be decided.
To describe the British Airway’s as just positive would be a understatement. Both openers attacked from the off and Faisal in particular was brutal on any width. Condon, Edge and Davis all were dispatched to all parts before Kellard finally got Faisal to sky a ball to Charters at long-on. By that point BA were on 115 for 1 off just 16 overs, with Faisal scoring 60 in the process. Windsor were literally up against the wall, but a controlled spell of bowling from Hill and Kellard, followed up by Edge soon brought Windsor back into the game. After 116 off the first 16 overs, only 40 were scored from the next 16 and BA suddenly needed over 5 an over to successfully chase their target. A fine 6th wicket stand then changed the match again and put BA firmly back on top. Any width was dispatched and once in, both batters took advantage of the good playing surface. With just 3 overs to go, BA required 11 to win.
With a packed balcony watching, Edge tore in from the castle end and produced a wonderful over with 3 wickets in it. Starting the over 224 for 7, BA finished at 227 for 9. After another tight over from Condon, Edge then tore in again and narrowly missed his hat-trick with one that shaved the off stump. It was left to the BA captain Raj, the team’s number 11 bat, to swing an almighty blow with 3 balls left to hit the winning runs, a four over mid-off. The BA team naturally went berserk and the Windsor crowd on the balcony applauded a fantastic game of League cricket.
Windsor undoubtedly learnt a lot from the game, but the fact that the points margin at the end of the game was only 5 as a result of losing bore testament to the quality of cricket on show. This week Windsor travel to local rivals Slough 3’s looking to get back onto the winning trail.