Twoo's Bask in the Merry Weather at Tongham

The Wrecclesham Twoo's overcame Tongham II's to go above them in the league.
Spectators could forgiven for thinking that they were daydreaming last Saturday when the Wrecclesham Twoo's arrived at the Tongham Community Centre very early and were changed and practicing on the field 25 minutes before play was due to start! This is the type of punctuality that makes us beloved by the opposing teams throughout Division VI!

After successfully winning the toss for the countless time, Alan 'Podge' Partridge did what Wrecclesham do best, put the opposition into bat. Again, this decision proved to be inspired when Mitch 'Olly Caston's Perma-Tan Clone' Brown took his first wicket in the second over of the day.

Despite this setback, Tongham played their shots with incredible flair, going at 5 runs an over for the first 11 overs! Boundaries were being scored at an incredible rate. This only meant one thing. He had gone on holiday to Portugal, He was back and He wasn't going to let Tongham walk away with an easy victory. Steve Houghton had Returned.

The Dibbly Dobblies were being sent down their way and although Tongham thought they could handle it, Steve with, the new into the attack, James Merryweather, made them stop in their tracks. After 14 overs of the new bowling partnership. Tongham were 134 for 6 off 28 overs. Steve (1 for 36) had taken the prize wicket of the Tongham opener A. Grayson and James Merryweather (3 for 28) had sent back three batsmen back to the pavilion.

Scott Newman and Leo Carter were left with the task of mopping up the Tongham tail. Only D. 'Mr. Happy' Hullock looked like taking control of the match with his quick-fire 33, but he was soon bowled by Leo, who, not for the fist time, was the leading bowler for the Twoo's with 3 wickets for 20 runs.

Tongham were all out for 148 off a mere 31 overs, demonstrating that although wickets were falling at regular intervals, the run rate did not make the match a foregone conclusion. Wrecclesham would have to bat wisely on an unpredictable pitch to secure victory.

Bernie 'Bolt' Bridger walked out to open with a new partner, James Merryweather. James showed to everyone that he took Tony Boniface's advice to bat slowly and cautiously by scoring his runs with a boundary. Although Bernie was out in the fifth over, James was determined to push ahead and prove that the presence of Peter O'Sullivan was not a jinx.

Tongham's bowlers struggled to contain the Twoo's batsmen with the exception of the positively effervescent D. Hullock who had figures of 16 - 3 - 33 - 3. If Tongham had more bowlers like him (maybe with a cheerier demeanour) they might have taken the match away from the Twoo's. However, human cloning is still far off and the Twoo's batsmen took advantage of the bowling from the other end.

Mitch 'No Sun Cream required' Brown and Hayden Newman each had a fast-scoring cameo, but it wasn't until Will Buxton came to the crease that Twoo's cruised home. This, however, was not before the cheery D. Hullock thought he had Will Buxton bang to rights with an lbw shout. The normally trigger-happy umpire Peter O'Sullivan (who has plenty of Wrecclesham scalps to his name) thought otherwise, angering D. Hullock, causing his bowling to become more erratic. Both Will Buxton and James Merryweather took advantage of this (as well as the four bowling changes at the other end) scored boundaries at ease. Soon they both achieved very well deserved half-centuries.

Needing only one run to win, Tongham knew they had lost the match and brought the field in for one over to give S. Pritchard a chance at bowling. Unfortunately, James was out giving a charitable catch to one of the Tongham youth squad, but his job was done, taking the Twoo's to victory and it was left to Alex 'Crosslands' Hall to blast a four and cross the finish line, guaranteeing 8 points and extending the Twoo's unbeaten run to 7 matches.*

Written by the Ginger Owl

*Apologies, I've just done a thorough examination of the recent unbeaten run, and they go like this:

4th July v Grayswood Won by 5 wickets
11th July @ Frensham Winning Draw
25th July v Milford Won by 3 wickets
1st Aug @ Blackheath Abandoned
8th Aug v Churt Won by 4 wickets
15th Aug v Grayshott Winning Draw
22nd Aug @ Grayswood Winning Draw
29th Aug @ Tongham Won by 4 wickets

Sorry, the unbeaten run is now 7, excluding the abandoned match, although I'm quite tempted to include it....