Historic promotion for Thame cricket club

HISTORY was made at Church Meadow on Saturday (02/09) when the final league day of the cricket season saw Thame Town Cricket Club beat local rivals, Aston Rowant by 19 runs, and win promotion to the Home Counties Premier League, Division One, for the first time !

Thame Town Cricket Club’s first XI after winning promotion on Saturday

TTCC’s second team secured a top-half finish in Division Four, but the thirds narrowly missed out on promotion from Division Nine. Here are the full match reports:

AFTER winning the toss and batting, Thame struggled to build any momentum. Callum Russell held the innings together with an excellent 62, but his dismissal sparked a late flurry of wickets to leave Thame tottering on the brink at 139-9. Enter another Russell, brother Andy, who in combination with Will Rooney (12) played intelligently to pick away at an increasingly-frustrated visiting attack. Andy finished with 26 not out as Thame’s final pair added 45 crucial runs, Thame finishing on 184-9, with Rowant’s bowling points guaranteeing them this year’s title.

When Thame bowled, despite another excellent spell with the new ball from Mike Higgs, dismissing Jewell and McDougall, Rowant moved comfortably to 75-2. However, Thame again showed their spirit to take 4 quick wickets to swing the game back at 79-6. Only a win would do for them and the tension was evident. Higgs returned to remove the dangerous Condon (55), but a partnership of 40 between Morrick and Bethell put the game back in the balance.

Hassam Mushtaq, as so often, provided the breakthrough, dismissing Bethell to reduce Rowant to 145-8. Morrick was then superbly run out by skipper Beard and, fittingly, it was overseas star Gamindu Kanishka – finishing as the top run scorer in the league – who dismissed the final Rowant batsman to spark jubilant scenes at Church Meadow.

Rowant were all out for 165, meaning Thame joins them in the Home Counties Premier League Division One next season, for the first time in the club’s history.

Neilson ton in vain as seconds are defeated

THAME second XI faced local rivals Dinton. Losing the toss and batting, James Neilson (104) anchored Thame’s innings with an excellent, mature knock. Apart from Neilson, however, only Matt Furness (23) and Alaistair Thomas (21*) contributed much to the total. Thame nevertheless reached 223, which they felt they could defend. In response, however, Thame struggled to dismiss Dinton’s top order, with Ur Rehman (52) and Lloyd (52) edging Dinton towards their target. The introduction of Matt Ridgway (5-64) threatened to swing the game, but big hitting from Shahid (38*) helped Dinton home on the final ball of the game.

Despite this loss, Thame second XI finished fifth, a top-half finish in just their first season in Cherwell League Division Four.

Third XI fall short at the last hurdle

THAME thirds went into their final league game with the possibility of promotion to Division Eight of the Cherwell League but, in the end, it was not to be. Asked to bat on a difficult wicket by visitors Oxford Downs thirds, they lost wickets regularly, with only Justin Avery (52) really coping with the conditions, albeit well supported by James McStay (25*) and Guy Holmes (22). When Oxford Downs batted, now chasing Thame’s 163, they looked in control throughout, despite giving a number of chances, with four batsmen making 30 or more, as they cruised to 163 for 4 in just 29 overs.

Oxford Downs can now look forward to Division Eight cricket next year, leaving Thame thirds to lick their wounds before planning an even more determined campaign in 2018.

With the league season now over, Thame now turns its full attention to fundraising to raise the last tranche of money needed to start building their new clubhouse. Thame residents can help the club over the line by making a donation at:

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/new-clubhouse-at-thame-town-cricket-club