Ones pipped in run feast

On a beautiful batting track and lightning fast outfield Wargrave hit their highest score for several seasons. Their hosts, more familiar with the history (it was revealed by the home players that recently a chase for 400 resulted in a win by only 5 runs) of their ground, chased down the target of 317 with 9 balls to spare.

Wargrave started badly, limping to 43-4 in 12 overs with three of their top batsmen scoring one run between them. This brought Chris Lunn to the wicket to join Euan Woods and the fun began. Beginning cautiously they began to rebuild the score against the steady bowling of V Tokas and R Bhatia. The 100 was brought up in the 22nd over and 200 in the 36th. Their magnificent stand of 174 ended with Chris being caught in the deep. When Tom Prentis joined Euan in a stand of 91 the rate increased further with the next 100 coming in only 9 overs.

Euan's superb innings could have ended early with a missed slip catch but after this it was one of watchfulness, cutting out risks and only taking runs off bad balls. As his confidence grew he began to unfurl his attacking game taking fours (of which there were18) all round the wicket, the first of his five sixes not coming until he had already scored 75. His hundred came off 115 balls and 138 minutes, with his next fifty in an incredible show of hitting lasting 16 balls in 22 minutes.

Chris also began warily taking runs when they were available, batting very well in getting to his 50 in 79 balls one fewer than Euan. He was beginning to accelerate when he picked out the deep mid on off a lofted drive. His 83 came at just over a run a ball and the partnership, one of the highest in recent memory, was accumulated in only 78 balls.

Tom proved a perfect foil for Euan contributing 24 at a run a ball in their stand which fell just short of 100. The innings was declared at the fall of Euan's wicket after only 46 overs.

In reply Chiswick lost a wicket to their second ball to the ubiquitous Woods. At 108-3 the home team could have been in some difficulty but 5 stands of between 34 and 49 slowly but surely restored their confidence. The fact that 218 of their total came in boundaries was evidence to the speed of the outfield and the blandness of the strip. They were always up with the required run rate, making one wonder, in retrospect, if the closure was a little premature.

Of the Wargrave bowling mention must be made of the medium pace of Imran Malik who in his accurate spell of 7.3 overs took 3-23.

The runs still needed to be scored and without a splendid century from Leo Glover (132 from 146 balls) Chiswick may have struggled. It was indeed a very good, well paced innings that began on the third ball and ended unfortunately on the penultimate ball. There were good contributions from the other batters, 5 of whom scored over 20, A Mohammed being the highest of these with 46.

Wargrave have a difficult home game next week against the league leaders High Wycombe who have won all of their four games to date.