Published: Thursday, 25th June, 2009 9:00am

Hartridge rips apart Bags

by Patrick Corlett

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Cricket

WINDSOR"S bowling continues to blow the opposition away as they surge ahead at the top of the table.

They are 27 points clear of the Basingstoke & North Hants second XI after enjoying a four wicket victory at Bagshot which is notorious for it"s ridges on both lengths at either end of the strip.

The hosts decided to bat first and were soon in trouble when a short one from Brendan Kemp caught a batsman on the helmet and skipper Wes Nichols was in amongst the wicket, claiming 3-30.

Tom Hartridge (4-36) and Bevan Malloch (2-12) cleaned up the middle order with Rahul Mohindru getting the final scalp with the score on just 116 in the 33rd over.

In reply, Nichols (22) and Oliver Birch (17) set about trying to finish things early, as did Paul Huggins (21) but with Windsor losing wickets it was interesting until Adam Weston (pictured right) guided the visitors home with an unbeaten 41 in the 24th over.

'We bowled pretty well, the Bagshot wicket was a bit up and down,' remarked Nichols. 'Brendan Kemp bowled very well and was a little unlucky but it was Tommy Hartridge"s turn this week. He bowled very intelligently for a 19-year-old. He is probably a couple of years ahead of where he should be, he didn"t try to bowl too fast, realised it was doing a bit and put it in the right areas, getting his reward with four wickets.'

Next week Windsor play host to the formidable Finchampstead who are one of the teams gathering behind the Home Park outfit in the league.

'We"ve got a pretty tough game against Finch this week,' said Nichols. 'They are top half of the ladder, if we don"t play well, it (our unbeaten run) will finish this week.'

Windsor were deducted two points for a slow over rate but plan to appeal the decision, the captain added: 'I"m a bit disappointed about that, we are going to appeal to the league.

'If you finish at 5.50 and get two points deducted it doesn"t seem right. I play aggressive cricket, look to take 10 wickets, not to restrict teams. Sometimes you are going to take a bit longer if you are going for the jugular. If they are consistent with it we will grin and bare it.

'I would hate to think that if it comes down to it, that two points is the difference between relegation, or more importantly, promotion at the end of the season.

Nichols added: 'It"s frustrating not to get the 20 points but I"m probably just a whinging Aussie!'