Cary and Birkett shine for Harpsden

Sonning

R. Pownell ct. Hodgkiss b. Ham 0
P. Collier ct. Cary b. Sampson 12
W. Ward ct. Ham b. Williams 20
D. Pethybridge ct. Williams b. Cary 9
A. Foley ct. A. Birkett b. Cary 17
C. Woodhouse st. R. Birkett b. Cary 2
A. Horstburgh-Wade ct. A Birkett b. Cary 0
B. Simmons b. Stevens 11
F. Spry ct. Norton b. Balaji 6
G. Powwall b. Balaji 1
H. Wilding not out 3

Extras 17

TOTAL 98

Best bowling: Cary 4 for 25, Balaji 2 for 4

Harpsden

A. Grimmer b. Foley 36
A. Birkett not out 51
T. Ham not out 9

Extras 6

TOTAL for 1 wicket 102

Best bowling: Foley 1 for 23

Sonning won the toss and batted first in this 40 over contest against Harpsden, although the tone was set as early as the second over when Miles Hodgkiss took a sharp catch at slip off Tom Ham to dismiss Sonning skipper, Rory Pownell, for a duck. Harpsden were to bowl a good line and length all day and not put down a single chance. Ward and Foley both managed to make good starts but weren’t able to carry on to the sort of scores that would set Harpsden a challenging target – Ward in particular showing great skill and patience. The Harspden bowling attack always looked dangerous with Harry Williams and Tom Sampson very economical, going for around 2 an over in their 6 and 5 overs respectively. 12 year old Toby Stevens always looked likely to take a wicket, and got rid of the dangerous Simmons although the bowling plaudits really need to go to young spinner Alfred Cary who bowled with tremendous control and finished with 4 for 25 in his 8 overs. Balaji polished off the tail in just over 2 overs, aided by a smart catch at slip by skipper Andrew Norton.

The target of 99 was only going to be difficult for Harspden on a sticky pitch if they lost early wickets to a strong Sonning opening attack of Spry and Wilding. Both of them bowled a tremendous line and length, which made it extremely difficult for Harspden to put runs on the board, although fortunately for the batting side the target only required them to score at two and a half runs an over. Harspden did well to survive the first 15 overs of the opening pair although they were somewhat behind the asking rate at 25 for none. Openers Andy Grimmer and 13 year old Adam Birkett had, however, shown great concentration and sound technique to see off the opening bowlers and were able to start playing their shots as the change bowlers came on. Grimmer hit 7 fours before finally falling to a corker from Wilding in the 20th over. Tom Ham came in to join Birkett and they scored at a much faster rate, finishing the contest in the 27th with Birkett hitting 3 boundaries in 4 balls. Adam Birkett’s maiden 50 for Harspden included 8 boundaries.