Thame Town suffer blow after defeat to relegation rivals

After being put into bat, Thame were bowled out for 88 after only Will Sutcliffe and Honey Garg put up serious resistance.

In reply, Gerrards Cross played positively as they reached their low target for the loss of only two wickets.

This Saturday they entertain Shipton-under-Wychwood at Church Meadow in the first of back-to-back home games.

Thame IIs welcomed Bledlow Ridge firsts to Church Meadow keen to maintain momentum after last week’s win over Cumnor.

They appeared on course for victory too once Bledlow Ridge had been reduced to 103-7 off 37 overs having chosen to bat first.

Miserly bowling from Ian McStay (2-28 off 14 overs) and wickets from Matt Furness (3-28 off seven) were squeezing the visitors’ innings.

However, the late-order batsmen cut loose and put on 64 for the ninth wicket, bringing them up to a competitive score of 216-9 off their 53 overs.

In reply, Thame’s openers took advantage of the good pitch to put on 85 in just 11 overs but, once Richard Carr (55) and Andy Jinman (36) were out, progress stuttered and the required run-rate soon climbed.

It was left to Guy Holmes and Ali Thomas to get Thame up to the draw at 197 for 8 in the allotted 47 overs. The IIs travel to Didcot this Saturday, still on top of Division Five.

Thame IIIs took on Bletchley 2nd XI at home looking to get back to winning ways.

Thame again lost the toss, and were asked to field. John Phippen (4-22) claimed two early wickets, but the innings remained in the balance throughout as wickets fell regularly.

Captain Vim Desai again bowled well, taking 4-32, while Joe Phippen weighed in with two for 29 before Bletchley were all out for 154 in the 44th over.

In reply, Thame got off to a bad start, losing four early wickets. It was Dave Saunders who provided the strongest resistance (43) but once he had gone it looked ominous for Thame at 68-6.

Lower order runs from Scott Chappell (28) and Robbie Jackson (15), alongside dogged defence, kept Thame in the game but with one wicket left, they knuckled down for the draw, ending on 132-9.

The IIIs are away to Stokenchurch IIs this Saturday and still sit second in Division Nine.

Meanwhile, women’s cricket continues to thrive at Thame, with Crick-Fit sessions every Wednesday evening from 6.30 to 7.30 pm and hard-ball sessions every Thursday from 7pm.

Either contact Sheena Beard on [email protected] for details or just come along to the ground.