The customary August Bank Holiday fixture at Tidworth added another amazing chapter to its history today. Following a run of victories the Wiltshire Queries succumbed by the barest of margins in one of the most dramatic collapses in recent memory
Having lost the toss, the Queries did well to restrict a competent opening partnership to less than 4 an over with Tom Campbell (9-0-30-2) taking the first wicket in the 14th over. Moses Onyuru (11.2-3-30-2) bowled with typical accuracy and skill and the evergreen Ninian Macgregor beguiling some of his regular tormentees in a wicketless spell before lunch. 8 bowlers were used in total with Savin Banumugama collecting the 5th wicket of the innings before a sporting declaration in the 47th over at 224/5.
The reply was contained to a steady start by some accurate seam bowling with Savin and Nick Jephson both bowled by one of the Frog’s premier league seamers for single digits. Skipper Tom Shaw joined Zac Collister and the score board moved nicely either side of the tea interval. On a wicket which was starting to turn, Collister (34) was bowled attempting to clear the fence and two short partnerships between Shaw and Tom Campbell (12) and Moses Onyuru (2 – run out by his captain) left Queries 141/5, needing a further 84 runs from 15 overs.
In the next 10 overs, Edd Sutthery and Shaw added 71 runs, and “WinViz” was pointing one way and one way only.
But mother cricket had other ideas.
With 12 to win, Shaw was caught one handed by his opposite number at extra cover for 93. Sutthery followed in the same over 1 run later. 2 new men. 11 to win. 4.1 overs to bowl.
Simon Campbell was dismissed for 0, but stayed on the field to run for Francis Naumann, adding a layer of comedy and stress to an already tense finish, and he and Ollie Illingworth took the Queries into a final over, with the latter ably slog sweeping to the boundary to leave the Queries 222/8.
3 runs required. 6 deliveries. All 4 results possible.
The final over went dot, dot, 1, dot. 2 to win from 2. 2 wickets needed for a Frog victory.
Naumann was bowled by the penultimate ball, bringing Ninian to the crease. After conferences, discussions and theories, it came down to this; and alas, courtesy of a turning and bouncing ball and a leading edge, the final catch was taken and the Frogs took the victory.
A genuinely brilliant game of cricket, in which we conspired to lose 5/11 in pursuit of our target to fall just 1 short. Looking forward to next year already!
