Sarisbury’s Village Cup dream is over after defeat at Cookham Dean

Sarisbury Athletic's dreams of a Lord's Village Cup final were dashed despite a bizarre late sequence to their eventual two-wicket defeat by Cookham Dean.
Sam Floyd top scored for Sarisbury in their Village Cup loss at Cookham Dean. Picture: Chris MoorhouseSam Floyd top scored for Sarisbury in their Village Cup loss at Cookham Dean. Picture: Chris Moorhouse
Sam Floyd top scored for Sarisbury in their Village Cup loss at Cookham Dean. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Defending a modest 141-7, they appeared set for a heavy defeat when the Berkshire champions eased to 129-3.

But in a freakish 15-minute spell, Cookham Dean contrived to lose five wickets for just four runs, plunging to 133-8.

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But despite piling on the pressure with fielders crowding the bat, Sarisbury were unable to prise out Cookham's last two batsmen who survived a tense ordeal to guide the Maidenhead club into the last 16.

Sarisbury found batting a trying affair after losing the toss, the ball frequently lifting off the soft surface. Survival was the first objective, run scoring almost secondary.

The unkempt outfield was slow and it took Sarisbury beyond the mid-point of their 40-over allocation before they got 50 on the board, by which time Tom Mills, Jack Lovett and the in-form Josh Hill had departed.

Hill appeared to be caught behind off his armguard.

Curbing his natural attacking instincts, Sam Floyd buckled down and added 81 with Ricky Rawlins - Floyd taking until the 34th over before he reached his half-century.

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He was eventually trapped leg before for 59 (112-4), and Rawlins (43) departed shortly before the end of the innings.

Sarisbury - who reached the semi-finals of the Village Cup in 2019 in their competition debut - needed to bowl a tight line and make early inroads, but neither happened.

They broke through at 21 and again at 47-2 - by which time Josh Hill had seen his first two overs of the season hit for 20.

The Berkshire champions progressed to 74-3 and, through Greg Davis (38), were almost home and dry at 129-3 with plenty of time to spare.

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But when Tom Kitcher (3-20) removed Davis, Cookham collapsed, losing their fourth wicket at 129, a fifth at 130, two more at 132 before lurching to 133-8, left-arm spinner Sam Hill taking 2-24.

But it was all too little too late for Sarisbury, Cookham's winning hit coming via a six into the adjoining cornfield.

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