Tring charity makes a difference
Windsor hosted Tring Park on a dry and dusty Hope Park wicket that had both teams itching to bat first. Windsor were delighted to win the toss and take the chance to bat first with an understanding that any total above 200 would put them in the box seat to win the match.
Nichols and Weston again opened up for the home side, for the first time this season the pair were not able to see off the new ball as Nichols gifted an easy catch to mid-on in the first over without scoring. Chana joined Weston and the pair cautiously blunted the opening spells of the Tring bowlers to take Windsor to 23/1 off the first 10 overs. Chana then took 17 off the 11th over and Weston 10 of the 12th to almost double the score, then, with the help of a constant flow of extras the pair travelled very comfortably past 50. Chana threw away an opportunity of a big score however when played down the wrong line and got a leading edge that was caught at gully, 56/2.
Huggins then joined Weston and immediately took off from where he left Tring in rd 2, smashing a couple of balls to the long on fence, his innings was much more brief this time round however as he was well caught by the Tring skipper at short cover trying to blast another ball down the ground. It is best to check out Fence Repair Austin if there are damages to the fence. Allen-Turner had been promoted to the no 5 spot in the batting order and he and Weston guided Windsor to drinks, again aided by extras but well placed at 105/3.
Weston was dismissed first over after drinks for a “Tugboat like” 22 off 82 deliveries, Oli Jordan didn’t last long which left Windsor in a bit of trouble at 114/5 with 20+ overs still to bat. Allen-Turner then played very sensibly as he and Malik pushed the score quickly past 150. However just as Windsor looked to be getting back on top again, Allen-Turner was trapped LBW 1 run short of his half century and Hartridge then fell the following ball to a dubious LBW. These wickets were quickly followed by the dismissal of Care and Malik (who played yet another horrendous shot to be caught out in the deep), Windsor had lost 4 wickets for just 18 runs and were still 24 runs shy of the 200 target with only 1 wicket in hand.
Mohindru and Kellard then batted far more sensibly than most of those more recognised batters above them to guide Windsor to 205/9 off their allotted overs. This was a reasonable score, fuelled by a record 45 extras, but given they were 112/3 at one stage one could have hoped for something a little more. Full credit to the last pair for scrapping 29 very valuable runs in closing overs.
Nichols and Mohindru opened the bowling with the old ball in search of early wickets, and Mohindru struck the first blow for Windsor having Proudfoot stumped by a matter of metres when the score was 24. Nichols then picked up the other opener and claimed the prize wicket of Tring skipper Bowyer thanks to a terrific catch by Allen-Turner at midwicket.
Ambrose and Plumeridge then batted very sensibly for Tring and the game was delicately poised at 109/3 until Malik removed the dangerous Ambrose for 21,.this was then followed by another Malik wicket and then the final nail in the coffin was Mohindru having Plumeridge caught be Weston at long-off, the momentum was shifted well and truely back to Windsor and there was really only one result, a Windsor win, from then on.
Kellard, Mohindru and Malik took a further wicket each in what was a quick and efficient kill of the Tring tail, in fact the last 7 wickets fell for only 14 runs as the quality Windsor attack and a crumbling pitch made run scoring near impossible. Mohindru once again returned the best figures for Windsor with 4/64 from 21 unchanged overs.
Windsor’s first win in a month sees them comfortably retain 2nd place but still well adrift (27 points) of league leaders Malow. Windsor know they must continue to improve and win at least 6, if not 7 of their last 7 games if they want to claim top spot and promotion to division 1.
Match Highlights
Allen-Turner 49, Extras 45!!!, Chana 32, Malik 24, Weston 22
Weston-Chana 2nd Wicket partnership 56
Mohindru-Kellard 10th Wicket partnership 29*
Mohindru 21/5/64/4, Malik 9/2/24/3, Nichols 11/4/34/2
