Falkland 2’s came out second best in a gripping encounter on Saturday at Enborne Lodge where dropped catches cost the home side dear as Peppard Stoke Row ran out winners with two balls to spare by a 4 wicket margin.

Falkland 2’s were put into bat and after the early loss of Jim Ettridge, lbw to McAllister for 1, Craig Williams and Chris Baker looked to set a platform until Baker was caught behind for 16 off the bowling of the impressive Scott Harris.
Bobby Brown joined Williams and the pair added 79 with Brown looking in fine touch as he moved through the gears into the 40’s before he was caught at long off for 45 from just 44 balls. Williams passed 50 and together with Jake Harnett pushed the score up to 175 when Williams fell just 19 short of a deserved century, well caught for a brilliant 81. Harnett and Peter Borton then set about the Peppard bowling, the running between the wickets a real standout from the pair, as they got the home side to 249 before Borton was out for a fine 46. Zach Pool came in for 1 delivery and as is his style, smoked it over the longest boundary for 6 enabling skipper Duncan Johnson to set a sporting declaration of 255-5 from 50 overs, Harnett remaining unbeaten on 47*.

Early wickets were going to be crucial if Falkland 2’s were to put pressure on the visitors and Zach Pool provided just that, Richard Ashton edging to Ettridge at 1st slip for 7. Dan Hayden joined Adi Hector and Hayden especially upped the ante. He rode his luck but put bat to ball impressively until the introduction of Johnson brought about his downfall, Aaron Graham taking a good catch to see the back of him for a quick 47 from just 37 balls. That was the last success for the home side for a long while as Peppard skipper Owen Simmons and Hector added 130 runs together, none of the Falkland 2’s bowlers able to stem the flow of runs from Hector especially, although three crucial dropped catches cost the home side dear. Hector twice and Simmons surviving once and both punished Falkland 2’s severely as Hector passed 100, taking his side to the brink of victory before perishing to Mark Otley with the visitors 34 runs short of the win. The wicket gave Falkland 2’s some much needed impetus and a flurry of wickets followed. Jason Vaughan-Davies was lbw to Razon Dash for 4, Scott Harris brilliantly caught by Ettridge in the fading light for 20 off Otley and Daniel Watts was run out for 1. All this left Peppard needing a couple of runs from the 50th over and although Dash bowled three dots, the fourth ball was squirted through midwicket by Derbyshire for the two runs the visitors needed to wrap up the win. Peppard skipper Simmons played a peach of a knock to finish unbeaten on 49*, a real captains innings in the circumstances.

It was a valiant effort from the Falkland 2’s bowlers, especially paceman Mark Otley who out in a real shift for his side, 14 overs 2-53, the other wicket takers were Razon Dash, 8.4 overs 1-39, Zach Pool 5 overs 1-26 and Duncan Johnson 9 overs 1-45.

Falkland 2’s travel to Hurst next weekend and will look to put this poor run of results behind them.

By Duncan Johnson