Consecutive wins for Beaconsfield!

"One will bring two" is often something you will hear from a fielding team when looking for wickets. In Beaconsfield's case its relevant to victories where after 3 consecutive draws an ever improving team can now take confidence from back to back league wins, something not achieved in 2011.

The game plan was clear, as was the oppositions and the probability was that Beaconsfield would bat first against the league leaders, Wokingham who had chased successfully on both occasions at their new home.

Wokingham won the toss and as expected Beaconsfield were asked to bat. Against some tight, accurate bowling from Smidt & Ellison, the opening pair of Adam Francis (30) and Jeremy Suter (13) were unable to score quickly but once again ensured that there were no early casualties. Runs were at a premium, not helped by a slow outfield denying value for your shots and it was clear that 180 would be a very defendable target.

Suter & Luc Walker were dismissed in quick succession to leave the visitors at 30-2, bringing last week's match-winner Chris Thomas to the crease alongside Francis. Between them they continued to pick up singles and Thomas continued from where he'd left off the week before, as the partnership grew. Eventually Franics found himself bogged down and went for a big shot only to miss a straight one, but not after the pair had put on 58 for the 3rd wicket to give the innings some momentum.

Out came Jason Harrison and immediately he began working the ball around to unusual places, looking to use the pace to get the ball behind square. The run-rate picked up and Thomas reached his second consecutive 50. The last 10 overs saw the value of wickets in hand as runs became easier against an older ball. Chris Thomas ended up caught on the boundary for 70 as the partnership with Jason Harrison (37) ended after adding a valuable 76. Harrison himself was caight in the deep as well before a brief cameo from David Heavyside (18*) saw Beaconsfield finish on 190 from their 52 overs.

In the field Beaconsfield got off to a good start with Jon Mahood taking a sharp catch off his own bowling to remove Reddyhough, the Wokingham captain. However Wokingham would also have been pleased with their start as they ticked along a 4 an over. It was the introduction of Ahmed Hassan (3-25) which turned the match in Beaconsfield's favour as he took wickets in each of his first 3 overs to blow away Wokingham's top order. When Mahood removed the dangerous Simon Myles a couple of overs later leaving the league leaders 54-5 it seemed Beaconsfield were cruising to victory.

The Wokingham resistance came from Craig Beales (44) and Stephen Smidt (41) who put on 54 to turn the match back in their favour as the Beaconsfield spinners struggled to contain them. Mahood returned to removed Beales with Wokingham 53 runs from victory. A couple of overs later Smidt fell LBW to Mahood as well and Beaconsfield were back in control. Harrison then removed Dewick before Mahood picked up his 5th wicket trapping Ellison LBW to finsih with 5-52 and giving Beaconsfield the 25 points.