Improved performance eases relegation worries

Windsor 227-8 (Birch 56)
Slough 192-7

A much improved performance from Windsor than in recent weeks gave the the lions share of the points in this local derby at the weekend. Winning the toss Windsor batted first and were shaken by the early dismissal of Rob Noble. However, Paul Huggins was finding the booming drives that have been missing this season and he and Dave Richies regrouped to move the score along. At 78-1 both were then dismissed as good accurate bowling from Slough got them back into the game. They then took wickets steadily to leave Windsor at one stage 141-6. However Harmeet Channa and Oliver Birch put a blistering 98 runs on the for the 6th wicket as Windsor rattled past the 200 mark as Slough visibly collapsed in the field with the onslaught. Birch fell for superb 57 and Channa 44 and it was left to Alex Hill and Chris Edge to end the innings with Windsor on a respectable 227-8 the exact same score they made in the encounter earlier in the year.

Opening with Chris Edge and Alex Hill both seamers found pace and bounce as the Slough openers restricting Slough to just 27 off the first 10 overs and 35 from the first 15. With the run rate creeping up the openers patience ran out and heaving wildly at the ball Hill made the breakthrough. Slough consolidated although never really scoring freely the game seemed to be meandering with Slough 141-3 with 15 overs remaining. Throwing caution to the wind Windsor introduced the very part time, very optimistic off-spin of Rob Noble and he instantly got success clean bowling Taj for 54 and then when a perilously close LBW was turned down the batsmen attempted to take a single Abe Smith threw down the stumps with a tracer arm and the game was wide open. Abe Smith then clean bowled Sheperd and 7 down it was Windsor’s game to win as Slough closed the game up. Oliver Birch huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow the resistance over and despite some over attacking fields Sloughs interest dried up and the game ended in a draw.

Windsor 2’s are “Out-Whitty’d”

Windsor 2’s 132 all out; 36.3 Overs (S Whitty 6 for 41)
Kidmore End 133 for 3; 36 Overs

Windsor 2’s wasted a great opportunity to close the gap at the top of Division 3a on Saturday. Having won the toss, Windsor elected to bat on what looked like a good wicket. However, reeling at 60-3, Windsor soon regretted the decision. It was Abe Smith (40) and Rob Noble (35) who eventually provided Windsor with some stability, both batsmen looking comfortable against the pace and bounce of Kidmore’s pacemen. A good partnership saw Windsor to 112-4, a good platform for the middle order to build upon. Unfortunately the normally reliable engine house of the batting line up failed to fire and Windsor slumped to 132 all out. The collapse was partly due to some lazy Windsor batting and partly due to some excellent bowling by Whitty who put the ball in exactly the right place. The Windsor batsmen had no answer to Whitty’s seam and swing and eventually succumbed in the 36th over.

Despite the low total, Windsor took to the field in buoyant mood knowing that some good bowling and a bit of luck would lead to 25 points. This positive mood was boosted in the first over when Birch dismissed the opener, caught behind for a duck. Unfortunately for Windsor the dismissal meant the Jeff Sheldon joined his brother Tom in the middle. The Sheldon brothers are well known in the division and have reputations for being fine cricketers, the pair bolstered their reputation on Saturday by setting about the Windsor total with vigour. Neither looked in any real danger despite the variable bounce of the pitch which Windsor had struggled with. When Tom Sheldon fell to the bowling of Smith, Kidmore had all but wrapped up the victory, a well deserved win which sees them move clear at the top of 3a, Boyne Hill being their nearest challengers, 8 points adrift. Windsor travel to Farnham Common on Saturday, eagerly seeking a win to get themselves away from the relegation battle.

Windsor back to winning ways

Bracknell 156 (Mirza 4-44)
Windsor 158-6 (Noble 51, Bullock 48*)

Windsor put the disappointment of the previous weeks thrashing behind them as they overcame Bracknell at the Home Park. Losing the toss and being asked to field it was a game of two ends as with a stiff breeze helping Chris Edge find some pace and bounce but it was hard going for Sam Condon and Alex Hill as they battled against it. Windsor got off to a perfect start with the ever improving Sam Condon managing to find the bottom edge of the bat as the Bracknell opener shouldered arms to play onto his stumps with the score still on 0. Windsor restricted Bracknell to 22-1 from the first 10 overs and just 45-1 from 20 although the game opened up when Rob Noble clung onto a skier from the dangerous Kirkby and Alex Hill took 2 wickets in 2 balls Bracknell were up against it. Regrouping with Caffell and Dewick Bracknell moved past 100 in the 30th over although when both went in quick succession to the spin of Mahmood Mirza Bracknell then seemed content to simply bat out the overs. Adding just 35 in overs 33-46 when the duo finally hit out towards the end wickets then began to tumble exposing the weak batting to follow. Bracknell were eventually all out 156 on the very final ball of the innings with Mahmood Mirza the pick of the bowling with 4-44.

Bracknell started brightly with Caffell using the wind to his advantage causing some trouble for Rob Noble and Paul Huggins and although Huggins was dismissed cheaply and then followed by Dave Richies, Abe Smith joined Rob Noble and the pressure was eased. After hitting a sprightly 33 Smith nicked one behind and Tom Bullock joined Noble at the crease and the combined quick running and watchful batting took Windsor seemingly out of trouble as Bracknell rotated the bowling looking for the breakthrough. After reaching his 50 with the game almost secure Rob Noble edged behind and when Tim Smith played what at best could be described a ‘strange’ shot to be comprehensively bowled and Kevin Condon fell quickly Leg Before, Bracknell began to get a sniff of victory. However some good confident batting by Mirza and Bullock saw Windsor to victory with no further alarms, Bullock finishing on an assured 48 not out.

Windsor entertain top of the league Kidmore End next week with their hopes of promotion once again back on track.