MBCC Second XI v Chesham 3 June 13th 2015
An all round team performance with bat and ball was the foundation for Maidenhead and Bray’s 3 wicket victory on Saturday in their top of the table clash against Chesham CC to give them a 7 point cushion at the top of the table. Skipper Wilding lost the toss for the home side and so Bray took to the field first on a day where the pitch looked as if it may have something for the bowlers early on.
Bray’s opening pair of Kieran Grey (4-43) and Arul Appavoo (1 – 26) got amongst the Chesham top order early, with Grey removing both D. Goodman caught by Wilding in the slips and Deepak leg-before, and Appavoo getting A. Goodman to play on. The pair’s opening spell was backed up with some excellent fielding to keep the visitors in check. Youngster Sam Murray (1 – 48) was then brought on, who bowled a hostile spell of seam bowling in his 6 overs, and was very unlucky to only pick up the one scalp with a routine caught behind to Dixon. That brought the spin twins of Blackwell and Manchanda together who bowled tightly in tandem to keep the Chesham score down. Blackwell bowled with particular accuracy and guile in his outstanding spell of 13 overs, 4 maidens 2 wickets for 31 runs. Grey and Murray were then reintroduced and restricted Chesham to 205/8 from the allotted 52 overs.
In response Bray made an excellent start with Cunliffe and Murray opening the batting, who shared an outstanding opening stand of 91. Cunliffe strong on anything overpitched to score regularly through the covers and down the ground, with Murray capitalising on anything short to score regularly square of the wicket. Murray, in an impressive all round performance, was first to fall for a well constructed 37. The adage one brings two could not have been truer with Wilding falling adjudged LBW two overs later, to take Bray to 116 for 2 at drinks. Cunliffe soon passed fifty for the 2nd time this league season to put the hosts well in control, he was ably supported by Harris Junaid (14) and Simon Ball (19), before being the 5th wicket to fall for an excellent 82. Bray were 169 – 5 and with under 40 needed reached their required target thanks to lower order contributions from Grey (17) and Manchanda (10) before both fell in the same over with 10 needed. However there was to be no late drama, as Blackwell and Appavoo steered the hosts home for Bray to win by 3 wickets and move clear of the chasing back at the top of Division 5.
After 6 games, Bray are well placed for a successful season, but the skipper cautioned against getting too carried away this early, “obviously you’d rather be in our position”, said Wilding, “but we are only a third of the way through and a lot can happen in a short period of time in this league. We have to see where we are after 9 games, then 12, and hopefully we will still be there for a final push. There is a lot of cricket to be played though and we are just looking forward to next week.” Bray travel to local rivals Boyne Hill on Saturday.
