Wargrave vs Eversley

Wargrave 2 maintained their 100% win record with a 64 run victory over a strong Eversley 2 side. Put into bat, openers Luke Taylor (37) and Kieran Lall (14) got Wargrave got off to a steady start, but after losing their first wicket on 44, found it difficult to sustain partnerships and lost batsmen at regular intervals from a combination of good bowling and catching from Eversley and a few rather freakish dismissals; Jonathan Colbourne out bowled from a ball bouncing high from his thigh pad and spinning back onto the stumps and Huw Thomas run out from a full blooded drive from Charlie Moss when uncharacteristically backing up at the non-strikers end. Wargrave were teetering at 114 for 7 after 30 overs, but some great batting by Wargrave’s high quality lower order, including a very important 45 not out from Kyle Bradley, ensured that they reached a respectable total of 211 for 9 from their 45 overs.
Captain Townson’s decision to hold back leading wicket taker Aryl Arppovoo and open the bowling with Jonny Rimmer (8.2-2-20-2) and Charlie Moss (9.1-1-44-0) seemed questionable as Eversley closed in on 50 for the loss of only one wicket, with number three batsmen J Tucker (46) looking particularly dangerous. Both opening bowlers bowled with venom and accuracy on the good Wargrave batting track and kept the run rate low without getting the rewards in terms of wickets that they probably deserved. The introduction of leg spinner Martin Smith (8-1-22-2) resulted in a wicket in his first over, and the wily Smith maintained the pressure at one end while Arppovoo (9.5-1-42-4) mopped up the middle order with his third four wicket haul of the season. Eversley were bowled out for 147 in the 39th over with Rimmer coming back to take the last wicket.