Leaders tamed by Bountymen (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Leaders tamed by Bountymen

12:47pm Wednesday 14th June 2006 in General By John Boyman

DESPITE a late scare, Basingstoke and North Hants managed to secure a draw with high-flying Farnham Royal.

On Saturday, away to the leaders of Home Counties League division two west, the Bountymen managed to bat out the 50 overs required to avoid defeat.

However, having looked reasonably comfortable at 186-5, they lost four wickets for just 13 runs and their final two batsmen, captain Chris Chandler and bowler Donavan Koen, had to fend off the last few deliveries knowing that a mistake would cost them the game.

The match began positively for Basingstoke, when all-rounder Jon Govett claimed the wicket of home opener Warren Miller without any runs on the board.

Alex Ranger fell with the score at 32, but Farnham Royal fought back with a partnership of 109 for the third wicket and a half-century stand to leave them sitting pretty on 195-4.

After this, the bowlers got back on top and wickets fell steadily until Farnham Royal were all out in their final over, having added another 56 to the score.

Scorecard
FARNHAM ROYAL v BASINGSTOKE Farnham Royal
W Miller c&b Govett	0
A Ranger b Govett	20
D Simpson c Williamson b Chandler	89
J Khan c Nurse b Rouse	42
R Sandford run out (Chandler)	29
K Santokit st Williamson b Chandler	34
I Bucknell run out (Droy)	0
A A Khan run out (Rouse)	1
J Sahdra not out	0
K Harris not out	10
I Borari b Koen	3
Extras	23
Total (60 overs)	251
Fall: 1-0, 2-32, 3-141, 4-195, 5-201, 6-201, 7-213, 8-213, 9-234 Bowling: J Govett 12-2-30-2, C Chandler 12-0-62-3, Nurse 2-0-13-0, Koen 10-1-34-1, Rouse 18-3-68-1, James 6-0-29-0
Basingstoke
R Vinn c Bucknell b Khan	16
R Droy c Miller b Khan	43
A Giles st Sandford b Santoki	41
D Nurse b Khan	7
C Froud c Ranger b Santoki	1
G James c Bucknell b Ranger	14
D Rouse c Miller b Santoki	53
J Govett b Zaigham	0
N Williamson c&c Zaigham	0
C Chandler not out	0
D Koen not out	0
Extras	29
Total (for 9 wkts, 50 overs)	204
Fall: 1-45, 2-67, 3-86, 4-92, 5-112, 6-186, 7-193, 8-193, 9-199 Bowling: K Santoki 20.4-3-71-3, N Zaigham 14-5-24-2, A Ranger 7-0-52-1, AA Khan 8.2-3-30-3, I Bopari 1-0-12-0 Result: Basingstoke (11pts) drew with Farnham Royal (16pts)

Chasing a total of 252 to win off 50 overs was always going to be a tough ask for Basingstoke but the batsmen began well, with Richard Vinn and Russell Droy putting on 45 for the first wicket.

Vinn's dismissal brought Andy Giles to the crease and he batted sensibly for almost two hours, collecting 41 runs off 86 balls.

However, at the other end, the wickets continued to fall and it was not until Giles was joined by 16-year-old Darren Rouse that the decline was halted.

Together, the pair put on 74 for the sixth wicket before Giles was stumped off the bowling of seamer Santoki with the score at 186.

Govett and wicketkeeper Nigel Williamson fell shortly after without scoring and Rouse joined them in the clubhouse early in the final over when he skied the ball trying to get the team to 200 for a valuable bonus point.

Rouse top-scored for the Bountymen with 53, including eight fours and one six.

It was a nervy final few balls, but Chandler and Koen survived and, with the help of a couple of byes, the score crept over 200.

Despite not being able to claim their first league victory since relegation last season, Chandler was happy with his team's performance.

"I am quite pleased today," he said. "Although we lost a few wickets and it was a bit tight at the end, we managed to get to 200 and earn a draw out of a good side.

"The side is very young and we need to find a way of playing that suits them, but we are getting there.

"We are improving with every game, so bring on next week.

"I was pleased with young Darren Rouse. He bowled 18 overs of good off-spin, keeping the runs down, and then batted really well, getting a good 50 just when we needed it."