On a rainy Saturday, the 1st XI hosted Slough, and managed to start on time. After winning the toss and fielding, Dinny Malan took 3-58 at the top, before Slough’s middle to lower order rallied. Alex Browne (3-36) then again returned Thame’s best figures, as the visitors posted 258-8. The rain then did Thame no favours; on and off, reducing the overs and target multiple times. At 18-3, Player of the Match for the second week running, Browne, came in and hit 63*. But the innings ended on 115-4, 18 runs short by the DLS method. Placed 7th, the team go to unbeaten leaders Wokingham next.
Thame 2s were away to Middleton Cheney, and sadly had their match abandoned after falling all out for 114 – Hugh Pilkington top-scored with 42. The hosts were quickly at 50-2 before Thame were saved by the rain. The 2nd XI are 5th and host 9th Wolvercote 2 next.
At Lord Williams’ School, the 3rd XI hosted Bradenham and were put into bat. Thame struggled to 59-7. Jeremy Batty (42*) batted well with the tail to get the total up to 118 all out. Thame got 1 early wicket but Bradenham never looked in trouble. Batty later took 3-20, but the league’s runaway leaders were able to reach the target for the loss of 4 wickets. The team stay 6th and go to bottom side Waddesdon 2 next.
The 4th XI match away to East Oxford 3 was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The search for a first win of the season comes at home to 5th-placed Dinton 3 next.
Thame’s Women took to the field on a drier Sunday, off the back of a first win of the season at home to Faringdon, on Wednesday, in a Super 8s match. A home double-header of Super 8s versus Oxenford faced the team. Thame added another win in the first game! Despite struggling for wickets, Thame won by 42 runs with a net score of 343 in the second innings, led by Matilda Berns‘ 24*. Set a slightly larger target in the second match, Thame were unable to reach despite Caitlin Shaw‘s 35*. These matches provided several players with hardball experience, having only joined the team last season in softball sessions – Amber Roy, Jess Gomes and Emily Clark, the later picking up her first hardball wicket! It’s a weekend off next for the Women’s side, however the club is delighted to be hosting Oxfordshire Ladies v Cornwall in the Women’s Vitality T20 Blast on Sunday 15th June!
