Yateley left to toil
High Wycombe .... 307-4 Yateley...................... 197
YATELEY’S attack has been in impressive form so far this season but it had no answer to a sustained assault from the High Wycombe II batsmen on Saturday.
With rain around, Yateley put High Wycombe into bat but the clouds cleared and the batsmen made hay on a fine track as the sun shone.
Anthony Muir sent back the dangerous Sam Buckfield for six but that only brought in Ali Birkby to join John Stevens in an assured 50 partnership which was broken when leggie Sam Kennett bowled Stephens for 44.
When strike bowler Miles Covers limped out of the attack, there was no relief for Yateley as Robbie Jones and Birkby stroked the ball to all corners until a smart run out of Jones for 49 by Muir.
However, at 212-3,
the damage had been done and Birkby unfurled a tremendous array of attacking shots including five sixes and two into nearby gardens as High Wycombe used their full allocation of overs to reach 307-4 with Birkby finishing on 149 not out with Muir, Kennett and Kumar Sadagopan the solitary wicket takers with one apiece.
Yateley started their reply at around five an over as James Muir and James Halson brought up 50 in double quick time.
But no sooner had thoughts turned to an unlikely victory when, on 68, Sawyer sent back Muir LBW and Sadagopan was caught for nought. When Halson was bowled for 36 and Rawat was caught for eight, both with the score on 86, Yateley were staring down the barrel.
Oliver Soames (31) and Jacques Pienaar (13) then put on a bright 45 before both were dismissed and Anthony Muir (36) and Chris Clubb (22) likewise added 56 at a run a ball as Yateley still looked for an unlikely win.
However the team’ss weakness for losing wickets in pairs struck again as both fell with the score on 188. Yateley then settled for a rearguard action but with men all round the bat, they failed to hold out and finally succumbed for 197 in only the 43rd over.
Eversley moved up to fourth with a 34-run win over bottom club Henley II, despite being forced to defend just 132.
And Pete Talbot put in a captain’s shift for winless Fleet in their visit of leaders Cookham Dean, eventually leading his side to a second straight draw.
Talbot returned fine figures of 7-81 as the bottom club restricted the division 2A pacesetters to 195-8 in 43 overs.
But in a rain-affected reply, the Calthorpe Park side just couldn’t get over the line in search for a first win – Dave Gurney’s 53 not enough to help them past 164-7 from their 39 overs.