On the back of two successive wins, Wilcot made the journey eastward to the private estate of Spye Park, a site owned by the current CEO of Nando’s, for what was their fifth game of the season. Having shocked the hosts at the same ground back in 2022, Wilcot were keen to allow history to repeat itself and make it three in three.
With the skipper running late due to multiple pickups and traffic in Marlborough, Tim Holme stepped in for the toss, which he promptly lost, allowing Spye to insert Wilcot into the field. Conditions were reasonable, but following some morning rain, humid conditions meant that there was the prospect of swing.
Ash Elliott was asked to open the bowling, and on the second ball, the Spye captain, Loft, was coincidentally forced into a ‘lofted’ drive which headed straight to the returning Tom Clare at mid-on. However, the RAF man’s head was clearly still in Mali as a simple catch slipped through his fingers. As Billy took the new ball at the other end, Wilcot knew that chances would need to be taken on what was a small ground with a fast outfield. Luckily for Tom, Loft mistimed another drive in the 4th over, with the skipper taking the catch at mid-off (17-1). As an experienced second wicket pair continued to build a partnership, further chances were put down at both point and cover as Billy and Ash completed their first spells. At this stage, Wilcot turned to the experienced duo of Andy Smith and Shane Bryant as they sought further breakthroughs. With the score on 89, the well-set Beal smashed another drive to the captain at mid-off, who claimed another catch. Andy continued to persevere at the top end, and despite some hooping outswing, was unfortunate to go wicketless.
With the score on 138-2, the captain turned to spin at both ends, as he and Tom Clare looked to make the most of the dry conditions. Two further chances went down at point, as Fennell reached his 50 after his fifth life. Frustration was almost getting the better of Wilcot’s players, but the breakthrough finally came when the plucky Fennell was finally caught and bowled by the captain. Gurung followed immediately after, as an aggressive swipe was well-taken at slip by Mardon. Wilcot sensed an opening, but were aware that the incoming batsman, Simon Ellis, was a very clean hitter. Having scored a 38-ball hundred a couple of weeks previous, Ellis made his intentions known as he smashed his second ball for six. Clare persevered at the other end and was unlucky to not have Ellis stumped the very next over as a strong appeal was turned down. However, what followed was a moment of brilliance as Ellis looked to go big yet again. The ball was sent high into the stratosphere as Ash took position at long-on. Having put two chances down already, the fiery bowler was not going to let this one get away as he held onto the chance, making the score 172-5.
This triggered a middle order collapse, as the captain claimed three further wickets, including a double-wicket maiden, to complete his 5-for, as Spye slumped to 179-8. With Tom Clare bowled out for an economical 1-40, Ash Elliott was recalled for his second spell as the eighth wicket pair started to play a few shots. As Spye continued to push the singles, Pinewood gapper, Ben Leach, directed a perfect throw to the non-striker’s end as a run out claimed Wilcot’s ninth wicket. However, the Spye tail batted out the remainder of the innings, and finished on 220-9, a perfectly gettable total on what is a notoriously high-scoring ground.
Following a brief tea break, Tim Holme (fresh from his 117 last week) and the Wilcot vicar, Mark Windsor, were asked to open the batting and start the run chase. The dangerous Loft opened the bowling, but Mark and Tim made the most of the quick outfield, and some clever strokeplay brought 14 runs off the first over. The pitch had certainly started to flatten and as the openers put the bad balls away there was little sign of the inconsistent bounce of the first innings. The score had reached 53-0 after nine overs, but Tim was first to fall for a brisk 37 after edging a short/wide ball to slip. The wicket brought the returning Ed Mardon to the crease for his first Wilcot game of 2023. On the back of some success for his work team, Ed was keen to cash in on the positive start and after a watchful couple of balls, began to find the boundary with some sweetly-timed strokeplay. However, the vicar was next to fall, after he succumbed to a rank full toss, leaving Wilcot 72-2. Tom Clare walked out to the middle, his first game since September, and rotated the strike well with Ed, who was now settling in well. A couple of mighty sixes over square leg meant that by the 28th over, Wilcot only required 66 runs from the final 17 overs. Despite facing almost no scoreboard pressure, the Wilcot batsmen then thought it would be a good time to push a very tight single, and a direct hit from Ellis saw Mardon heading back to the pavilion for an excellent 74 off only 69 balls.
As is often the case, one wicket brought two, as the returning Loft bowled Tom through the gate for 21 (158-4). Ash came in to steady the ship, but after a couple of early boundaries, was only able to edge a wide one into the vocal keeper’s gloves for 9, as Wilcot wobbled on 171-5. The Pinewood pair of Jack Chatfield and Ben Leach had to rebuild and see off Loft’s remaining overs, knowing that there wasn’t much left in terms of bowling options for Spye. Having negotiated some tight spells, the two batsmen began to find the odd boundary as the required run rate was brought back under control. With only 19 needed off the final five overs, Spye Park brought the field in as they finally ran out of steam. With just the infield to beat, the skipper brought Wilcot over the finishing line with two successive fours, completing a 5-wicket victory.
Despite a mixed performance in the field (with at least 8 chances going down!), this was a well-executed run chase against decent opposition. The match was played in excellent spirits as Wilcot made it 3 in 3. This is clearly a very open division, where almost any result is possible.
We welcome Ramsbury to the Old School Ground next weekend, as Wilcot seek a fourth consecutive win.
