Owls back on track with huge win

Wrecclesham 1st XI ran out deserved winners against an out of sorts Chiddingfold at the recreation ground on Saturday, ending their sequence of 3 successive winning draws in the process.

The Owls, who now find themselves unbeaten in a quite staggering 25 games, proved their desire to win the Division III title with a massive 229 run win, by far the biggest in the entire I'anson this week.

Skipper Boniface lost the toss (his most taxing bit of action all afternoon!) and the home side opted to field on a grassy looking wicket and the temperature soaring.

It wasn't long before the visitors were regretting that decision as Chris 'Herald Golden Boy' Spooner and Matt 'Crash Diet' Parkinson started to score freely and put Chiddigfold under pressure from the off.

The latter, who had recently been spotted leaving the same liposuction surgeon who operated on Kerry 'the unit' Katona, was hitting particularly hard as Farr found out to his cost as he clung onto a drive from the Wreccers opener.

Parkinson had to regrettably depart for a well played 27 but Farr (who we wish well and hope he is back in action asap) also made an exit at this stage, of the more permanent variety, straight into the local A&E department sporting a badly split hand.

Spooner was starting to accelerate and looked as dominant as ever when he was joined by the free scoring Wright, who as sometimes seems his want, holed out straight to mid on, naturally off an innocuous delivery from the youngest player on the park.

Chiddingfold celebrated but this merely bought Chris 'the rock' Windeatt to the crease and he and Spooner put on a quite magnificent 169 run partnership that knocked the stuffing out of the visitors and set up a much needed win.

The pair, who shared 212 at the Bourne last year, proved their class with a combination of big hitting, orthodox stroke play and clever strike rotation to keep the score board ticking and demoralise the opposition.

The consistent Windeatt(53) as ever proved a good foil for the undoubted talents of Spooner (145*) who treated all and sundry to his full range of strokes and once more undermined his class.

Brief cameos from Oli 'How Brown?' Caston and Dave 'Mind your windows' Vasey helped to keep things moving along and the home side, sporting smart new logoed shirts, were afforded the luxury of a declaration in the 43rd over having amassed a mammoth 266 for 4.

A sumptuous tea was taken in the sunshine with the sunbathing WAGS in full voice and the Wreccers feeling pleased with a good first half performance.

However, as they have found out in the last few weeks, despite dominating, closing games out can often be the hardest part and so there was plenty of work remaining for the Owls.

Caston started well finding a good line and length and never allowed the Chiddingfold openers to settle. The odd delivery just short of a length was causing no end of problems on a track which the Wreccers batsmen made look friendly enough (Thanks to Tony, Steve and Parky for that one!).

Caston removed Yoganathan with what can only be described as a 'jaffa' or 'unplayable' or 'f***ing good' and he could only fend to Windeatt at second slip.

This started the collapse in dramatic fashion and as a result wickets fell consistently thereafter.

The visitors, who were skittled out for a meagre 37 in 19.3 overs, simply had no answer to the bounce, pace and accuracy of Caston(4-11 from 10 Overs) and Dan 'Boris Johnson' Vasey (who recorded a quite sensational 5-5 from a mere 2.3 Overs) who bowled superbly in tandem.

The former has had little luck of late despite some excellent bowling and this was a just reward for some wonderfully consistent recent displays.

The latter has been transformed of late (no not into a robot) utilising a shortened run up which has seen him on fire picking up 9 for 33 in the last two matches.

A moral boosting win and definite boost for the Wreccers who are looking to put some real pressure on league leaders Blackheath as the season enters it's defining period.

The Owls will look to build on an excellent win next week as they travel to Division III stalwarts Elstead.

Afterword by Joe Boniface

Well.. I said someone would be on the end of a bloody good hiding in the not too distant future if we kept going and the mighty Owls didn't let me down!

A fantastic team performance and deserved win which underlines our credentials as, in my opinion, the best team in this division.

Some really sharp catching and fielding and a great desire was fantastic to see and the result was never going any other way.

Spoons, you have done it before and I am sure you will do it again but you are a class act my son. Windeatt is the perfect batting partner in that situation and proved that he is mr consistent once more.

Oli and Dan, excellent to see you boys having the bit of luck that has so often not quite been there and to see some really good bowling finally rewarded, long may it continue.

A pleasure to be a part of it lads and I look forward to seeing you all next week.

Up the Owls!

Twit Twoo