Weekly Roundup - Malan Leads 1s to Victory, as 2s and 4s Get First Wins Too! 20/21May23

The 1st XI hosted Cumnor, won the toss and bowled on a decent track at Church Meadow. Dinny Malan got the early breakthrough, however Cumnor’s middle stuck together. Thame pulled it back at the end, Jonathon Jelfs starring (4-64), but the visitors posted a good total of 242. In the chase the openers were lost early, however Luke Hayes (38) and Ubaid Kiani (30) batted beautifully to set a platform for the hero Malan, who played a fine knock of 93. Greg Jenkins (18*) held his nerve and got the boys over the line. The team travel to Chesham next, who have a win from the only game they’ve completed so far.

Thame 2s travelled to take on Great Horwood and were asked to bat. Josh Towell opened with 41, before the middle order helped build a big score. Newcomer Adam Culley (66) was ably supported by Dan Patey (47) and Oli Sutcliffe (41), as Thame reached 298-6. In the field, Thame dominated from the off as 6 of the top 7 fell for single figures. Parker’s 90 was in vain, as Chairman Pete Tervet took 4-25 and Patey got 3-49 to have the hosts all out 104 short. The 2s host Chearsley next, with whom they share a record of won 1, lost 1 and 1 abandoned.

The 3s were up against Great Brickhill 3, away. Thame could not build after winning the toss and batting – Toby Baker (44) top scored as the innings fell from 107-5 to 109 all out. Great Brickhill decided not to hang around and reached the target inside 18 overs, for the loss of 4 wickets. The winless 3s take on the winless Garsington & Cowley 2 at home next week.

Leighton Buzzard 3 were the visitors to Lord Williams’ Upper School, facing the 4th XI. After being asked to bat, Thame struggled to 95 all out, with Charlie Anderson (16) top scoring. But with Trevor Spindler around, the team always had a chance – his incredible 5 wickets for 2 runs from 8 overs helped skittle the visitors for just 70 and get a superb win! Thame head to 4th-placed Chearsley 2 next week, sitting just behind them in the table, but having played 1 game less.

On Sunday, Thame Women had 2 Super 8 matches in 2 different locations. In the morning, away at St Albans, Harshi Malan, Leanne Harris and Bridget Cooper took 2 wickets each to restrict the hosts to a nets score of 223. Megs Woodward (21) batted impressively, hitting a lovely 6, to help Thame to a comfortable win, only losing 3 wickets. At home against Tiddington in the afternoon, Harris and Cooper again took 2 wickets each as Tiddington posted a net score of 255. Malan (18) and Woodward (17) pushed Thame up to more than enough runs, but the loss of more wickets meant that it was sadly defeat by 4 runs on the net score. The team host Oxenford in a friendly next Sunday and then head to Ickenham for a tournament on bank holiday Monday.