Weekly Roundup - Superb Wins, Tight Defeats, a 5fer, a 99 and a Tie! 3/4June23

The 1st XI lost the toss and bowled at home to Great Brickhill. On a dry flat track, Brickhill’s openers both scored tons. A poor show in the field meant a mammoth total of 333-5 – Hassam Mushtaq (3-86) was the pick of the bowlers. Farid Butt (66) carried his form, followed by an elegant 50 from Luke Hayes (who also scored 50 on his Oxfordshire debut on Sunday) and a quickfire Dinny Malan 41. Wickets kept falling but Thame never gave up; Nikhil Nomula hit the overseas spinner for four huge 6s in an over before Ubaid Kiani (99) was unfortunate to get out in the last over trying for the win, ending short on 321-9. Captain Mushtaq reflected “On paper it’s a loss, however it was one of the best games ever played at Thame, and the effort each and every player put in cannot be faulted.” 7th placed Thame travel to bottom Buckingham next.

Thame 2nd XI won the toss and bowled away at Stokenchurch. In the balance at 100-3, young guns Jake Wilkinson and Thomas Wyatt took 3 wickets each to have the hosts all out for 190. Thame lost the top 3 cheaply, but continually impressive youngster Josh Towell scored 90 batting at 4. He led a 71 partnership with James Dack (23*), who saw Thame home to a 4 wicket win. The 2s are 5th and host 3rd place Westbury next.

The 3s travelled to Fringford and opted to bowl. Strong bowling from the off put Thame in command, added to by Leanne Harris, who came on to remove the star batter and bag a superb 5-28, seeing the hosts all out for just 105. Unfortunately, Thame lost 4 of the top 5 for single figures, with Paddy Harris (21) providing the strongest effort in 77 all out. Sitting 8th, the 3s host 5th placed Long Marston 2 next.

The 4s hosted Long Marston 3, won the toss and bowled. It was another top bowling performance, particularly again from Trevor Spindler, who removed 3 of the top 5 for ducks on his way to 4-18. Chasing only 91, Tim Dabbs (29) and Charlie Anderson (27) opened strongly once more to set Thame on the way to a resounding 8 wicket win. The 4s sit pretty in 3rd and go to top-of-the-table Dinton 3 next.

Thame Women had an incredibly busy Sunday. First, a team travelled to play Ropley in Hampshire in the National T20. Thame bowled after winning the toss, but it was a tough day; opener Wilson racked up 132* as the hosts posted 226-1, the only wicket coming from a Leanne Harris runout. Harshani Malan smashed 81 from 54 to lead Thame off, but after her departure Thame ended on an otherwise impressive 165-4. In the afternoon, there were 2 Super 8 matches at Church Meadow. Thame posted a net score of 273 versus Abbots Langley, with Hannah Lloyd (15) top scoring. Isabella Kench took 2 of 5 wickets to help bring the visitors net score down, eventually ending in a rare tie at 273! With the return of some of the T20 players for the second Super 8, Megs Woodward took 2 wickets to keep St Albans to a net score of 281. Woodward (20) and Cath Hawkes (19) lead in an impressive overall batting display to reach a great net score of 319 and win! Sadly, Thame did not reach the Super 8s finals this weekend, but will be looking to play a friendly at Church Meadow before the Home Counties League starts.