9 of the best for Walker

On arrival at Great Holland recreation ground the game appeared to be in doubt due to a massive puddle of water on the corner of the square. After both teams attempts to clear the patch of water and on discovery that the sprinkler system for the square was leaking it was decided that the game wouldn’t start for half an hour. In that time the local park keeper arrived and turned the water off at the mains and this allowed the game to start half an hour late.

Having won the toss Wargrave decide to bat first even though the wicket looked decidedly uneven and very grassy.

Wargrave had progressed to 37 for 0 with openers Martin Woods 20 and Emma Walker 15 both looking steady but struggling with the conditions and with the tight bowling from Bagshot.
When these two were out in the 18 & 20th overs respectably the middle and lower order of Wargrave couldn’t deal with the poor conditions and the tight bowling and the Wargrave innings was left in tatters as they collapsed to 90 all out. This was a very disappointing performance from the Wargrave batting line up with only 52 year Woods, 15 year old Walker & number 11 Davis making double figures. Bagshot bowled well on a difficult surface with S Parsfield finishing with the excellent figures of 8-42 from 17 overs.

Lanch & Walker opened the bowling for Wargrave and with a tight field set Bagshot struggled from the first over to cope with the bowling. Walker bowled Bagshot’s opener in his first over then in his second trapped their other opener and capt Balscome LBW, the Bagshot collapse had started. Batsman came and batsmen went as Walker bowled straight and accurately. He trapped 1 more batsman LBW and had 5 more bowled and 1 other caught as he finished with the figures of 9-12 from 11.4 overs. Jon Colbourne picked up the other wicket that of the no 8 Brown and the Bagshot team had been bowled out for 43 in 24 overs.

The faster bowling from Wargrave had made a poor pitch into a minefield. Balls were either flying from a good length or shooting along the ground from a short length. Any batsman that attempted to play from the back foot was in trouble. With both teams trying to blood younger cricketers this type of wicket is are not ideal and could deter kids from playing. Although I’m sure they liked the early finish.