Eversholt blown away

With the title already in the bag, Dave Overton finally gave in to the team's request and decided to have a bat first, having won the toss. Lots of midweek rain made the pitch slow and sticky. The pre match roll and the hard new ball probably made the conditions for batting easiest at the outset. The playing surface certainly deteriorated as the game wore on and the bounce in the latter stages of the innings and throughout the Eversholt reply was decidedly inconsistent.

Dan Potter (63) was patient and consistent as always and put on 56 for the second wicket with Jay Nandha (34), who looked more fluent than any other batsman on the day, until he holed out in the covers. Wickets fell at regular intervals after that but never in a cluster. Scoring was becoming increasingly difficult with pace off the ball. 46 overs were used up by the time the Village innings came to a close at 181 all out. No one seemed too sure how good the score was but the general consensus was that it may be around par.

Eversholt also started reasonably well and having reached 37 for the loss of just 1 wicket, a game seemed on. David Overton and Saahil Mehra had other ideas. Unbelievably, Eversholt lost their last 9 wickets for just 9 runs, inside 9 overs. The opening bowlers, made full use of the tough batting conditions and less than perfect pitch, both picking up 5 wickets a piece in a devastating display of bowling. Dave Overton's 5-22 in 8.2 overs included an incredible 2nd hatrick of the season. Two caught and bowled wickets in the same spell was also unusual.

Once he got the blinkers on and got into his stride Saahil Mehra's return was equally impressive. 5-33 in 9 overs was an excellent return. 4 of the victims were bowled as Sars managed to get balls cutting back sharply down the hill and clattering into off stump with regularity. With little to play for, Eversholt put up limited resistance as they were dismissed for just 46. A nice bunch of lads, this is certainly one of the teams we will be sorry not to be seeing again next season.

Holtwhites will be fighting for survival in the final game next week and a tougher battle is expected. But the Village have now gone 16 matches unbeaten in the league and will be looking to finish the season in style.