The Saturday 1st XI suffered a 53 run defeat in an away match against Reading II. We lost the toss on a very hot afternoon, and were doing quite well at one stage, with the home side 115-2 after 30 overs, but they got away at the end of their innings and reached 249-4 from 52 overs. Shahid Din was the pick of our bowlers, with 3-88 from 22 overs. In reply, we lost a couple of early wickets, but a fine knock from Gavin Mander (51) seemed to be giving us an outside chance of a victory at 124-3 from 27 overs. However, a middle order collapse saw us reduced to 131-7 after 31 overs, with Reading's left arm spinner West having claimed all seven wickets. Skipper Zamir Khan then restored some respectability with a typically dynamic innings of 67, but it was all in vain as we were eventually bowled out for 196 in 44.4 overs, defeat by 53 runs.

An excellent bowling and fielding performance by the Saturday 2nd XI was the foundation of its unexpected victory at home to Old Merchant Taylors II on Saturday. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first in the hot and dry conditions and their openers reached 55. The introduction of Asif Raza, who took 3 for 17 in a 12 over spell, aided by some good catches including a one-handed dive by David Peters, helped peg OMT's back. Sohail Ijaz took the all important wicket of the visiting captain. As runs dried up against some sharp fielding - you could count the number of misfields on 3 fingers - debutant Zahid Aslam helped instigate two runouts. The innings closed on 150 for 9 off 52 overs.

Obviously Captain Peters's words of wisdom ("patience makes the innings go longer") inspired our openers as Martin L. White (61) and James Mallinder (71no) put on 122 for the first wicket in 28 overs. Early batting was not easy against the new ball and White, in particular, showed great judgement on what balls to leave. As the innings neared its conclusion, Mallinder opened up with an array of boundaries and Faheem Ijaz hit one towering six to see us home by 9 wickets in the 32nd over.

In blistering heat, the Sunday 2nd XI went to face Taplow Sunday 2XI. However, all was not what it appeared to be. With Taplow's first team having cried off the fixture with Chalfont's first team, it soon transpired that there were no fewer than EIGHT players in the Taplow side who have played 1XI cricket this year. Admittedly, some of them have played 2XI for some of the season, but the first 5 batsmen were all exclusively first team players. If you want to know how this information came to light, then you have merely to look on Taplow's website (www.taplowcricketclub.co.uk) and look up the first eleven batting averages for Heaton, Uden, Petman, Mills and Bradley.

With Taplow winning the toss and unsurprisingly electing to bat, it was up to Dean Page and Steve Baker to show their true grit against quality batting. In the end, both ended up taking two wickets, with Baker the more economical in a twelve over spell, but Page dismissing the opener in his 13 overs. The heat soon wore down the opening pair, and an enforced change saw Gareth Noot bowl superbly for 9 overs for just 33 and taking a wicket, smartly caught by Nagle at gully. Nagle also had his part to play, taking one wicket in his 4 overs - admittedly it was the only straight one he bowled. Taplow finished on 227-8, only outstanding fielding and sharp bowling keeping the score respectable.

We got off to a bad start when Chris Yoxall Jnr was out to the first legitimate ball of the innings, but Baker (43), Collins (25) and Page (38) took us into the last 20 overs before their wickets tumbled. Dave Andersen (39) made an attempt at the target set, and at 170-6 anything looked possible. Not wishing for their 1st team to be beaten by a bunch of rank amateurs, Taplow soon brought on the quick bowlers to try and finish us off. Within two overs we were reeling at 181-9, and it was left to Gareth Noot to see out the last over with fielders all round the bat.

And so it was that we left with a draw to their credit against a very strong team. Had we been playing their 2XI instead (as Martin White pointed out to them in a most gentlemanly manner whilst batting) the result may have been completely different.

The Saturday 3rd XI was unable to get a fixture this weekend, which was a shame!

The Sunday 1st XI did not have a match this weekend after Taplow cried off our MASL fixture at Chalfont Park.

The Midweek XI came badly unstuck against Safron, a young and very talented Indian touring team. We batted first and struggled to 92 all out, with Parthu, a left arm spinner who turned the ball sharply, decimating our middle order, his final analysis being 7 overs, 4 maidens, 12 runs, 6 wickets! We never really had a chance of defending such a meagre total, but did at least make the opposition work hard for their runs. They eventually reached 95-3, defeat by seven wickets!

This weekends fixtures are as follows:

Cricket -v- Hockey:
Friday, 18th July, friendly, home, 6pm start

Saturday 1st XI:
Wokingham II, TVL2B, home, 1.30pm start

Saturday 2nd XI:
NPL Teddington II, TVL4B, away, 1.30pm start

Saturday 3rd XI:
t.b.a., friendly, away, 2.00pm start

Sunday 1st XI:
Marlow Park, Skinner Cup, away, 1.30pm start

Sunday 2nd XI:
Braywood, friendly, home, 2.00pm start

CRICKET -V- HOCKEY

This Friday at the club, 6pm start! Spectators very welcome.

Don't forget Bogarts will be on when we finish so if possible please bring along your sports club membership card.

Batting:
Safi Ahmed, 108, Sat 1XI v. Fleet (05/07)
Martin Cartledge, 101, Sat 2XI v. High Wycombe (31/05)
Safi Ahmed, 94, Sat 1XI v. Beaconsfield (28/06)
Martin L. White, 94, Sat 2XI v. Windsor (21/06)
Neal Collins, 82, Sun 2XI v. Marquess (01/06)
Zamir Khan, 81, Sun 1XI v. Harrow Town (11/05)

Chris Yoxall Snr has been playing cricket since God was a boy. Or so he claims. His son's promotion in to the Sunday 2XI last year (his son also has the same name, just to be confusing) also brought Chris out of a semi-retirement to play friendly cricket.

Often his excellent bowling does not produce the results it deserves, usually through missed catches (for which we are roundly given 'the stare'!), or the batsman's uncanny ability to have his bat placed 'just so' in the nick of time on a full length googly. His rewards have been better this year though, with one five wicket hall and a couple of braces.

When his son is bowling, you will always find Chris ready with a supportive word for his offspring ("What are you doing?" "Don't do that!" "Will you bloody well listen for once?"). A policeman for his sins, you will hardly ever find him checking tax discs in the car park or noting down registration numbers of those who have offended him somehow.

As one of the 'unholy trinity' with Pat Nagle and Nick Davenport, his batting has improved beyond measure this year, to see him firmly claim the number 11 spot as his own. Often keen to score with 'the pencil' to avoid umpiring, this keeps everyone happy, except for the exceptions when he has to bat and someone else must take over the duty. A meticulous scorer, you will be able to find out how long you were in, the fall of wickets at what time and score, and all the other boxes that you didn't know anyone used but provide useful information.

Chris keeps claiming that he wants younger people to open the bowling, but whilst he keeps bowling such absolute class, he will remain the 2XI opening bowler. Sorry Chris!