Harpsden Sun Vs Woodley 1-Innings Match Played At Harpsden, 16-Sep-2007, Time

Harpsden Sun Win

Woodley 1st Innings 193/4 Closed (Overs 40)
Batsman Fieldsman Bowler Runs
S Brar b E Birkett 8
G Wickens Not Out 67
J Raja* ct R.Birkett b H Cary 62
A Ali ct R.Birkett b W Stevens 5
K Ali b W Stevens 26
D Stone Not Out 1
Extras 23
TOTAL 4 wickets for 192

Harpsden Sun 1st Innings 184/9 Closed (Overs 33.5)

Batsman Fieldsman Bowler Runs
H Cary ct Wickens b A Ali 43
W Stevens+ ct K Ali b A Ali 5
S Imlay ct Soper b Raja 23
I Whittaker Not Out 83
I Reissman Run Out 8
R Birkett Not Out 15
Extras 16
TOTAL 4 wickets for 193


With the potential Harpsden opening batsmen feeling the effects of the annual dinner and its aftermath the decision was taken to ask Woodley to strap the pads on first. So the sprightly Tom Sampson and Ed Birkett opened the bowling and to good effect, as Tom bowled with great accuracy restricting the runs whilst Ed picked up the first wicket of the day. This piece of success was to be the only one that Harpsden would see for a while as Woodley started to pile the runs on.

Meanwhile those nursing hangovers hid themselves in the slips and passed the time with that most important of ‘day after’ discussions: Could it really be JUST the dodgy burger on the way home that was causing the stomach to churn or would some blame have to go to the Stella, this commentator thinks it does!

Woodley continued to accumulate runs and as the hundred partnership came and went Harpsden looked to be in a bit of a pickle. On the positive side the drinks break arrived at a pretty critical time for the Harpsden skipper who could be seen rushing from the field to be sick much to the amusement of one or two of his troops. His response punish one such person by bringing him on to bowl, this seemed to work on two fronts. First the big partnership was finally broken and secondly it was Horatio’s turn to rush from the field in order to find something to settle the stomach. From the other end Stevens took the ball and in the eyes of the batsmen the ‘brothers’ stemmed the flow of runs. Woodley ended on a competitive 193-4 although having lost so few wickets they should probably have added another 20 or 30.

After a much needed tea the Harpsden openers took the field and managed to amass 28 before the first wicket fell. This seemed to spur Horatio on who dispatched the bowling all around the park to end with a quick fire 43. Sam Imlay played some classy strokes on the way to a quality 23. But he was some what upstaged by Ian Whittaker at the other end who was busy grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck. When Sam departed Ian Reissman came in and the ‘Ian’s’ added 58 in no time. Although it should be said that Ian Reissman did depart having only scored 8 of those runs!

This left Harpsden needing 41 with 9 overs to go, enter the chairman. Rod decided that it was getting a bit dark so having run a quick 3 off his first ball dispatched the Woodley quick back over his head for 4. After this the result never looked in doubt at Harpsden destroyed what was left of the Woodley attack sealing victory with over 3 overs to go. Man of the match certainly went to Mr Whittaker for a magnificent 83 which included 17 boundaries!