Chesterfords’ visited Thorley on Saturday aware that only 4 points separated the clubs at the foot of Division 2. Chesterfords’ lost the toss and were put into bat on a hard flat track that looked like a batsmen’s paradise.

Steve Atherton and Paul Phillips got off to a steady start with Cruwys ( spelling ) bowling a good line length from the start. Atherton looked in good form and soon began to assert himself on the game. Phillips was bowled  for  7  by Cruwys in the 10th over  after some good pressure from the Thorley pace man. Wazz Mughal joined Atherton at the crease and was at his explosive best as he smashed the bowling to all areas of the ground. Mughal raced Chesterfords’ total onto 108 before being caught and bowled, a vital quick fire 46  which put Chesterfords’ into a great position. Steve Atherton was pushing the score on relentlessly with some sumptuous cover drives and elegant cuts while Pullen from the other end offered fantastic support with some effortless scoring shots. Atherton was the first to reach his 50 with Pullen shortly following him. Pullen was eventually caught for 67. Atherton continued his onslaught and was very unlucky to be caught on the boundary for 98, just 2 short of his maiden century. Chesterfords’ continued to bat well finishing on 246 from their 45 overs.

After a strong batting performance on a good batting track, Chesterfords’ knew the importance of taking early wickets to put pressure on the Thorley batsmen early on in their innings. Wazz Mughal and James Pullen bowled well with Mughal looking the more threatening. He didn’t have to wait too long for a breakthrough as Bob Mills failed pick a slower ball that he chipped to gully. Fidell batted intelligently, waiting for the bad ball and dispatching it with contempt when it arrived. Atherton came onto bowl for Chesterfords’ and he soon found his rhythm, creating chance after chance that Chesterfords ‘could just not capitalise on. Some poor fielding and unfortunate slips meant that Chesterfords’ missed out on taking the all important wicket of Phillips who went on to score 40 before Atherton claimed his wicket. Some late drama with Walter Jackson throwing down the stumps of Selwood from 30 yards in spectacular fashion that gave Chesterfords’ a small glimmer of hope .Thorley needed 10 an over with 3 over left. Thanks to Cruwys and Fidell Thorley required just 5 off of the final over and Cruwys smashed a huge six that won the game for Thorley and left the Chesterfords’  players utterly devastated. They must pick themselves up for next week’s fixture away at Bishop’s Stortford in a game they need to win.