Wycombe run out easy winners at Cobden Hill

HCPL Division One

High Wycombe 301-6 dec. Radlett 91

High Wycombe won by 210 runs

RADLETT’S search for their first league win of the season will enter a sixth week after a crushing 210-run defeat at home to High Wycombe.

It was a deserved victory for the well-oiled visiting side whose solid batting line up was followed by some fine bowling in glorious weather at Cobden Hill.

For the home side changes must be abound with only three batsmen – Kabir Toor (12), Matt Corran 25*) and Heath Paynter (15) – making double figures resulting in Radlett being knocked over for just 91.

That was a score surpassed by the visiting openers Matt Eyles and Nitin Sehgal early on in proceedings as they started confidently against the home side’s bowling attack.

A series of no-balls from Radlett meant they were always struggling to build any pressure as Eyles and Sehgal easily racked up a 108-run opening stand.

A change of attack from Radlett saw spinner Rob Clements enter the attack and he was rewarded with the wicket of Wycombe captain Eyles for 48.

Spin was the name of the game now for Radlett with Toor operating from the other end and then skipper Burger turning his hand to slow bowling in place of Clements.

The Radlett captain accounted for Alex Jewell (25) and Sehgal but not before the opener had reached three figures, compiling a powerful 103.

Toor’s toil at the pavilion end was rewarded with 3-88 but Alan Duncan (40*) and Kyle Buckthorp (3*) guided Wycombe past 300 allowing a declaration that gave the visitors four extra overs in which to bowl Radlett out.

In the end they needed only 146 balls as their opening attack of former Surrey and Leicestershire man James Benning and pace bowler Sohail Hussain ripped through the Radlett order.

Benning struck first inviting Fraser Crawford (3) to thrash one to Jewell at gully and this wicket precipitated a collapse of epic proportions.

Both Lloyd Patternott (8) and Toor (12) nicked behind off Hussain while Shil Patel was well caught by the Wycombe bowler off the bowling of his partner Benning.

After a short delay while the visitors dealt with a break in to their transport, the Radlett collapse showed no signs of abating.

Skipper Burger was bowled by Hussain for 4 as Radlett crashed to 43-5 and with him went any hopes they had of staving off defeat. The South African’s dismissal was the first in a spell that saw four wickets fall for just three runs as Hussain and Benning cashed in.

Nick Fielden’s dismissal for 5 looked like wrapping the game up before tea but Corran and Paynter had other ideas. Both batsmen decided attack was the best form of defence as they launched into the bowling delaying the inevitable until after tea. It took the away side just 1.2 overs after tea to complete the job though as the 37-run 10th wicket partnership was ended when Paynter was bowled by Sketchley handing the impressive visitors a 210-run victory and with it 25 points.

The defeat sees Radlett slip to second bottom in the HCPL Division One table ahead of next weekend’s trip to league leaders Oxford.