Windsor 2’s ‘Rock on’ through Aldershot 1^st XI

Windsor 2^nd’s, realizing what they had done wrong in their 1^st league match, made amends by turning up on time, doing admin and practicing their catching properly prior to the game! Aldershot too turned up early and practiced what can only be described as a ‘Towsey Drill’ with multi colored cones and 26 balls! This meant Windsor went into the game with no journey in them and in the right frame of mind. The covers had leaked overnight on what looked to be a very good wicket on Friday afternoon, and Windsor decided to bat first, choosing to get the best out of the two paced wicket. Whilst the game started on time after only a few overs the rain came down and the covers went on. After much deliberation and after intervention by the umpire’s the game finally got underway with a maximum of 70 overs being allowed, Windsor getting 37 to set a total.

Aldershot bowled and fielded very tightly early on and Windsor tried to move the game along but didn’t get too many shots off the square. Huggins and new recruit Shafi opened and the pitch looked to be very hard underneath which provided their bowlers with pace and bounce in some areas, Huggins wearing a few during his innings. In other areas the ball kept low! Again wickets fell regularly and Windsor were reduced to 60 for 6 wickets off 21 overs. This was looking like another poor batting performance as per the previous week. Calling and running between the wickets is still rusty and needs work, and coupled with this the tight bowling displayed by Bailey (13 overs, 2 for 22) and Summers came away with 5 for 68. R Noble top scored for Windsor with 29, but Windsor had only 121-9 on the board after their allotted overs.

Windsor went out to field in front of a large balcony crowd, some already in party mode for the evenings entertainment! Noble commented that the total would not be easy to chase and also the weather was gloomy after a very very late tea (Jane has confirmed it was the latest ever!) Aldershot only had 33 overs in which to reach Windsor’s total. Veteran Hill and young Birch opened up and found early movement and some pace from the now drier wicket and regularly missed the edge of both the right and left handers. Windsor were sharp throughout the innings in the field but a few loose deliveries were concerning as the outfield was pretty quick. After restricting Aldershot to 66 for 3 off 24 overs Windsor continued to tempt the batsmen with Sawyer and Smith heading up the attack and continued to turn the screw. Sawyer’s accurate medium pace perfectly suited the wicket and Abe Smith got the middle order to drive and play shots. Windsor took their catches this week, R Noble took a stumping, a fantastic catch in the dark on the boundary by Birch and things were looking brighter for the determined Windsor side. More wickets fell and Aldershot slumped to 105 all out after 31.4 overs with Sawyer returning figures of 6 overs-3 for 23, and Smith got a 6 for 34! When the last wicket fell Windsor were justifiably exuberant, and with the aid of Rob Spence playing live, celebrated the victory in style.

As the saying goes… ‘catches win matches’
Report by Alex Hill

Butterfingers let game slip

Newbury 197
Windsor 161 (Hill 59)

Although the scores record that this may have been somewhat of a narrow game it hid an embarrassing fielding displaying and an equally disturbing batting performance from Windsor as they made their debuts in Division 3a. After the long trip to Newbury the damp overcast conditions made Newburys decision to bat first a little surprising. Had Windsor fielded and bowled anything like they know they are capable of they should have made Newbury pay for the decision from the 4^th ball however in what was by far the hardest chance of the 8 Windsor would put down, South African All-Rounder Abe Smiths one handed effort at a flier from backward point from Uden was just one of 5 chances that were spilt against the opener who ground out 54. Kellard clung onto one at Mid Off to remove the dangerous Anstey and Windsor may have hoped their fortunes had changed although when Jones was put down early and went on to make 29 Windsor would rue the chances that would go astray during the innings. A luckless bowling display by Alex Hill was replaced by youngster Chris Kellard who bowled well in tandem with Abe Smith to turn the screw on Newbury. The arrival of Oliver Birch who’s trademark bowling a batsman off a no-ball was rolled out again although he did manage to pick up 3 wickets to wrap Newburys innings up in the 50^th over for 197 although this was somewhat 80 runs more than Newbury should have been allowed on a 2 paced pitch had Windsor taken their chances.

Had Windsor restricted Newbury to 120 they may well still have struggled as with the exception of Dave Richies and Abe Smith none of the top order looked comfortable against the nagging attack and difficult pitch. By the time Rob Noble had been bowled Windsor were almost dead and buried at 50-7. Oliver Birch joined by Chris Edge began to get about the bowling but despite what looked like a clear edge into his pads when Birch went it LBW it seemed all over for Windsor at 71-8. However Alex Hill joined Edge and both began to settle against the tiring attack and both started to play some shots, Hill in particular with some dazzling drives and cuts, Edge playing the more brutal shots and it was no surprise when they passed the first batting point at 100. They soon added another at 125 and after a few more big hits suddenly Windsor were in the position of needing 6 an over from the last 10 to win. However, the return of Anstey saw Edge stumped for 25 and Hill, shepherding Chris Kellard from the strike, cut out and another bonus point was gained at 150. Hill was eventually caught behind for a superb 59 which saved Windsor quite a lot of face and gained some valuable batting points.

The one good thing Windsor have to look forward to is that it is unlikely they can perform this badly again this season as the squad regroups for the visit of Aldershot 1^st XI at Home Park next Saturday.

Newbury
Anstey	Ct Kellard	Edge	27
Uden	Run	Out	54
Jones	Bowled	Kellard	29
Fitzwilliam	St Noble	Kellard	10
Hanabe	LBW	Smith	35
Manger	Ct Hill	Birch	6
Chester	Ct Chorley	Birch	2
Madington	Bowled	Birch	9
O’Sullivan	St Noble	Smith	1
Keep	Run	Out	3
		Extras	21
		Total	197

Windsor Bowling	O	M	R	W
Hill	11	2	35	0
Edge	6	1	13	1
Smith	19.5	3	71	2
Kellard	9	0	44	2
Birch	4	0	21	3

Windsor
Chorley	Bowled	Hanabe	2
Huggins	Bowled	Mills	4
Smith	Ct	Hanabe	6
Richies	Bowled	Anstey	20
Bullock	LBW	Mills	2
Charters	Bowled	Mills	3
Noble	Bowled	Mills	2
Birch	LBW	Anstey	15
Edge	St	Anstey	25
Hill	Ct	Hanabe	59
Kellard	Not	Out	1
		Extras	23
		Total	161