Henley upset the form book to pull off an audacious 128 run victory at Finchampstead.

Notwithstanding a somewhat inconsistent first half of the season, Henley go into the second
half of the season with two points more than this time last year. So, providing High Wycombe
can be reeled in, anything remains possible.

Once again, Henley lost the toss. Finch’s strong seam attack allied to overcast breezy conditions
doubtless persuaded Finch skipper, Chris Britz, to invite Henley to bat, a decision which, as the
morning progressed and Henley rattled up 139 without loss by lunch, he must have come to
regret. Matt Dalrymple, revelling in his opener’s role, led the way as he and Johnny Connell
made light of one rain break and irritating bouts of drizzle to set Henley up for a 300+ score. Try
as they might, Finch were powerless to staunch the flow, Britz deploying seven bowlers to no
avail.

Lunch, however, proved something of a turning point as Finch found their bowling mojo and
Henley lost all ten wickets for another 116 runs. First, Lewis Sharp returned to bounce out
Connell, Charlie Dunnet departed for a duck after eight balls, Dalrymple was caught at point
and Ross Richardson played on (164 – 4). The fired up Sharp bowled Archie Carter before
Connor Lamsdale and Monty Bradbury steadied the ship. Bradbury mixed sound technique
with flair for a very handy 28, skipper Adam Searle added 20 before becoming Sharp’s fifth
victim and Sharp brought the curtain down and completed an impressive 6’Fer by bowling
Declan Farland in the sixty-third over.

255 including 20 extras was not a bad return but on a flat deck with a lighting outfield with the
start Henley had had, it could have been a lot more and would it be enough?

In the end, more than enough but not before Finch made a fast start against the Henley
seamers, Harry Jordan and Charlie Dunnett, 52 off the first 8 overs.

Skipper Searle swapped seam for spin through himself and Connor Lamsdale and the dye was cast with immediate
effect as Gregory Smith miscued to Jack Biddulph at long on. After a long think by the umpire,
the dangerous Dan Marles was given out lbw and Searle was then on hand at mid-off to pluck a
ball from Eddie Campion out of the air for Lamsdale’s first. At tea, with the wicket turning and a
stiff breeze blowing across the ground Finch were 76 – 3 and rattled and the travelling support
had grounds for optimism.

Things soon took a turn for the worse for Finch as Lamsdale trapped Ben Salter lbw and in the
same over had Britz caught at backward point (84 – 5). It was now just a matter of time.
Michael O’Donoghue was Lamsdale’s next victim lbw and lbw did for Finch keeper Jed Crerar,
bowled Searle. With fielders crowding the bat, Paul Stephens holed out to mid-on. Six
wicketless overs followed before Searle brought on Declan Farland which was the catalyst for
the final two wickets and Lamsdale’s outstanding 7’Fer as he bowled, first, Samm Daniel then
Liam Bulteel to end proceedings in the 38th over.

Whilst seam had worked for Finch, spin proved the winning ingredient for Henley. Having just
left Abingdon School with a winter of Grade cricket in Adelaide ahead of him, there can be no
doubt that young Lamsdale is a serious prospect in the making.

This Saturday, Henley begin the “back nine” of the season with a trip to the Woods Cricket
Ground, Harefield. Losers to Harefield on the first day of the season in the 50-Over format,
© Jonathan HigginsHenley will want to make amends for that underwhelming performance if they are to have any
chance of chasing down runaway leaders High Wycombe, currently on 175 points compared to
127 this time last year which puts the challenge in context.