1:00pm Friday 30th July 2010
By John Boyman
BASINGSTOKE and North Hants will be looking to put more distance between themselves and the sides at the bottom of the Thames Valley division one table by beating Windsor at May’s Bounty on Saturday.
The Bountymen have failed to win any of their last three games and were forced to settle for a draw last weekend after failing to get 10 wickets away at High Wycombe II.
Daniel Coombs hit 82 as Basingstoke recovered from a bad start to reach 210-8 from their 52 overs. They looked on course to win but could not get the crucial breakthrough despite bowling five overs at the final pair.
However, captain Russell Droy felt that retaining the old ball at the start of the Wycombe innings was a success. Spinner Matt Thankachan (4-31) and medium-pacer Ryan Connor (3-40) opened the bowling and kept things tight, setting up the draw.
“Starting with the old ball worked well because both of their openers found it difficult,” Droy said. “It took 10-15 overs away from them and meant only one team was going to win.”
Droy is hoping that seamer Jon Bradley will return from injury to give him an extra bowling option this weekend, while batsman Craig Williamson is available again.
Windsor have also failed to win any of their last three outings. They have lost their last two, including a six-wicket defeat at home to Amersham on Saturday, and are currently 11 points and one place below sixth-placed Basingstoke in the table.
Basingstoke’s trip to Windsor in May was called off due to rain and Droy is looking forward to playing them for the first time.
“They were very keen to play us last time we met because we were bottom, so we are looking forward to the game to show them how much we have come on,” he said. “We are playing a lot better now and they have not been setting the world alight so we are looking forward to playing them.”
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