Ley Hill v Chesham Bois, 26th July 2003

Tom Holman

Jon Lown's Saturday Firsts continued their charge towards the top of the table with this thrilling win over local rivals Chesham Bois, secured as the heavens opened. With league leaders Bucks CC losing the week previously and Downley breathing down Hill's necks in third place a win was crucial, and the team delivered with a superb all-round performance. The win, secured by everyone's favourite margin of 69 runs, looks comfortable on paper, but it was secured seconds before the players would have been forced off the field by torrential rain.

The game had started unpromisingly for Hill, with captain marvel Jon Lown caught third ball. Andy Rennard and Keith Brewer soon followed, but Mark Curtis kept the side in contention with a confident 48. When he nicked one to the keeper, Hill had plenty of work to do at 94 for 5, but the lower order rose to the challenge. Nick Lee hit a rapid 21 before Sohail Khan took charge with a quickfire 47, putting on a fifty partnership for the seventh wicket with Tom Holman and steering the side to a respectable 187 for 8.

Rain set in at tea, and for a while it looked as if Ley Hill might be denied the chance of victory. Things looked bleaker still when Chesham Bois raced to 74 for 1, but up stepped Craig Ottaway, who tore through the batting with a brilliant display of fast bowling. Recovering from falling on his arse on his first delivery, he snaffled his first five wickets in classic style: two caught behind, two snicked to gully - and one caught off a long hop. Chesham Bois had no answer to the diminutive paceman's outstanding bowling, and Ley Hill were soon in among the tail. Rob Thompson chipped in with two wickets, including a collector's item of a catch at slip by Keith Brewer (pictured) and the prized scalp of Chesham Bois' wicketkeeper van Duyvenbode, who followed up some low-grade sledging by slicing a rank full toss to Andy Rennard, to great hilarity.

Sensing victory, the fielders crowded the bat with one more wicket required. The heavens opened, and the umpires were edging towards the pavilion as Ottaway (right) turned for one last effort, and bowled the last man with a searing delivery that he can barely have seen. Cue joyous celebrations and a dash to the pavilion to watch it rain for the next six hours.

Ley Hill: 187 for 8 (Curtis 48, Khan 47)
Chesham Bois: 118 all out (Ottaway 6 for 33)
Ley Hill win by 69 runs

Man of the match: Craig Ottaway, whose fast bowling on a lively track was at times unplayable. Special mention for woman of the match: Mrs Fridge, who served up a magnificent tea, including enormous cakes that even her husband couldn't finish.
Clown of the match: Chesham Bois' number eleven batsman, who left the game just after tea. He would only have needed to put his pads on to save the game with the rain bucketing down.
 

Click here for the scorecard