Nichols hopes for change in fortune

Published 21 Jul 2010 09:00 0 Comments

Share this

Wes Nichols.

Cricket

WINDSOR skipper Wes Nichols is hoping for a change of luck following their four wicket defeat at Maidenhead and Bray.

He was forced to field an under-strength side in the Division One basement battle - then made it worse by injuring himself in the warm-up.

It meant the Aussie ace could hardly walk, though it didn't stop him blasting his team's top score with a majestic 87.

Sadly, it wasn't enough as Windsor could only muster a modest 172-6 from their 52 overs which Maidenhead chased down for the loss of six wickets.

Nichols said: "It was a disappointing result but we didn't have much luck either.

"Our top batsman Ben Harris was missing then I twisted my Achilles in the warm up so I couldn't run.

"I scored more than 70 of my runs in boundaries simply because I couldn't move.

"It meant we got 172 instead of around 210 which would have given us a much better chance."

Windsor got off to a nightmare start and were 25-4 after 10 overs when Mark Lines joined Nichols at the crease.

The pair set about rebuilding the innings with a 90-run stand for the fifth wicket.

However, defending that total would always be difficult, even against a side like rock-bottom Maids.

So it proved as the hosts crept home on 176-6 in the 44th over with Saad Khan making 66 to secure the victory that boosts their own survival hopes.

Yet Nichols argued his bowlers did not help themselves either: "We needed to keep it tight but we didn't bowl well at all," he fumed.

"We were quite dumb in that respect, we gave their batsmen too much width."

The result left Windsor two places off the bottom of the table with a difficult trip to Amersham to come this Saturday.

Nichols, though, remains upbeat: "We're still confident because I can finally put my best side out at the weekend.

"Ben Harris, Umar Malik and Adam Weston are back and I should be fitter so we'll give it our best shot."

This article appeared in Royal Borough Observer 23 Jul 10

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Sport archives.