Hartridge Steam Rolls Stoke Green

Stoke Green 71 All Out; 19 Overs (Hartridge 7 for 39, Kemp 3 for 36)
Windsor 74 for 2; 17.3 Overs

With the sun beating down on picturesque Slough, Windsor 2's travelled the short distance to local rivals Stoke Green on Saturday for their third league game of the season. Upon winning the toss and considering the pace attack at his disposal, Windsor skipper Davis made no hesitation in asking the home team to bat first.

Tom Hartridge and Brendon Kemp took the new ball and both immediately made inroads into the Stoke Green batting. Hartridge, in between three no-balls, manage to the edge of the Green's opening bat and saw a fine catch taken by George at slip. Kemp immediately join in on the action, removing the fellow opener in his first over to. With Windsor on top, Kemp continued to take wickets including Green skipper Bourne to a second fine catch by Care behind the stumps. With 4 down, Stoke Green started to counter attack as the dangerous Patel looked to start where he had left off last year with some lusty blows. However, with his favourite areas covered, Hartridge removed Patel to a fine leg cutter that trapped him plumb in front. After removing a wicket with his next ball and a cluster of wickets a few overs later, Hartridge missed out on his hat-trick by the narrowest of margins on two occasions. Rashid Awan replaced Kemp after his fine opening burst, but with Hartridge removing the last man in the very next over, his spell proved to be somewhat shortened. The Windsor seam attack of Hartridge and Kemp proved too much for Stoke Green as they were all out for 71 in just 19 overs. With Kemp finishing with 3 for 36 off 9 and Hartridge taking 7 for 39 off 10 overs.

Windsor's reply started off a little shakily as first Jordan went to an adventurous shot with the score of 4, then Davis went wafting outside off-stump with the score on 30. In form Chris George carried on where he left off partnering Chana to steer the ship home as Windsor cruised to an 8 wicket victory in just 17.3 overs.

A fantastic win epitomised the Windsor 2nd team's start to the season, as whilst an individual performance stood out, the team ethic and enjoyment of watching others play to their potential has seen hard work pay off so far. The team's work ethic will face another test this coming week as Windsor travels to Harefield to take on their 2nd team. With both club starting the season strongly, it will require another good performance to maintain the momentum produced so far this season.

By George they went and done it!

Windsor 2's 242 for 7; 52 Overs (George 109*)
Wycombe Dragons 179 All Out (C Kellard 6 for 40)

This weekend Windsor 2's entertained Wycombe Dragons for their first major home fixture of the season. For the second week in a row, Windsor had the good fortune to win the toss, but chose to bat on this occasion on what looked to be a belter of a season.

With 5 changes to the team from the previous week, Windsor saw a new opening batting pair of Davis and Hill. Despite a steady start, both fell in relative succession prior to the score reaching 40. With the loss of Noble, Malik and George set about re-establishing the innings, before a lazy shot put paid to Malik's innings with the score on 95. George then saw a stream of partners come and go at the other and by the time Care joined him, Windsor were 147 for 7. However, the pair set about building a strong partnership and saw Windsor past 200 and beyond. Care played in his usual dogged fashion and supported the partnership well. George on the other hand was at his fluid best and would go on to his maiden Windsor century. Windsor finished their innings on 242 for 7 after their allotted 52 overs.

The new ball was taken by Hartridge and Kemp with immediate success. Hartridge removed both openers with 3 overs and Wycombe found themselves 20 for 2. This though set up a crucial third wicket partnership from the Wycombe 3 and 4, that would prove to frustrate Windsor for some time. Despite always being behind the asking rate, the Wycombe pair played positively to put the home side on the back foot. It took some fine bowling from Kellard to remove the number 4 to a fine catch by Dineen and open an end. As Windsor chipped away for wickets with Kellard, the Wycombe no. 3 pushed on to reach a deserved century. Soon his patience failed and he too fell to Kellard. Sensing victory and having juggled the seamers from the castle end, Davis then reintroduced Hartridge to great effect. Removing the 8th and 10th wicket in the space of two overs to help Windsor to a fine victory by 63 runs. Kellard finished with 6 for 40 and Hartridge with 4 for 55.

This second win in two weeks is a fine start to the season for Windsor and marked another occasion where a poor start had been turned into a positive position. Men of the Day were Chris George for his battling 109 and Chris Kellard for his 6 for 40 after travelling down from Cardiff on emergency call-up the night before. This weekend sees a local match-up with Stoke Green for the team, with more vital league points on the line.

Baumgartner's Royal Ascension

Farnham Royal 2's 171 for 8; 52 Overs (Bucknell 41; Perkins 43; Borland 4 for 50)
Windsor 2's 172 for 2; 43.1 Overs (Baumgartner 66*; Davis 37)

Windsor 2's commenced their 2010 league campaign with a visit to Farnham Royal to take on their 2nd XI. With the weather overcast and gloomy, Windsor skipper Davis had no hesitation in asking the home side to bat on what seemed to be a hard but slightly damp wicket.

Borland and Thompson provided an all left-arm opening attack and bolwed fine lines in the opening 10 overs to restrict Royal to just 20 runs. But as the drissle began to take effect on the ball, Bucknell and Perkins (the Royal opening pair) started to play some expansive shots and scored at over 6 an over in the next 10. With score on 95 for 0 off 23, Royal looked set to post a huge total. But the introduction of spin from Chana, combined with some more defensive fields frustrated both openers and they would fall in similar fashion, caught trying to drive on the up off Borland. With Chana bowling miserly at one, Borland continued to make in-roads into the Royal batting and removed Hussain and Van As with fine yorkers. Royal were now tettering and Borland was striving for his fifth wicket to no avail. Royal batted out the final overs to reach 171 for 8 off their 52 Overs. Borland and Chana the pick of the bowlers, with figures of 4 for 55 and 3 for 21 respectively.

Windsor reply set off at great pace as Chana and Baumgartner soon reach 49 for their opening stand. Sadly a loose shot from Chana put paid to his innings, but this only brought Davis to the crease to join Baumgartner and begin an important second wicket stand. Playing the leading role, Baumgartner batted beyond his years as he showed great patience in his play whilst compiling the runs. The pair would put 104 for the second wicket and when Davis fell for 37 with the score on 153, the wiining post was in sight. Malik joined Baumgartner and the pair sailed past the winning target with over 5 overs to spare.

A good win for Windsor as the look to be a force to be reckoned with in Division 4A.