Saturday 2nd August 2003 vs Arkley C.C.
 
Cool Dale steers Wash home
 
Arkley C.C. 199-5 dec.
Washington C.C. 202-6
 
Pete Grzonka’s Saturday army did the business again on Saturday, besting Arkley by 4 wickets. Facing a target of 200 to win, a fine unbeaten 47 from debutant Chris Threlfall saw the Wash cross the line in some style.

Arkley had batted first and prospered on an unresponsive August surface. The innings was dominated by a well crafted century by Spillane, who reached exactly 100 before having his stumps rattled by the excellent Nick Tidey. Tidey, who is Washington’s leading wicket taker this year, took 2-20 in 11.3 pacey overs to up his haul to 20 for the season.

Arkley declared at tea, having faced 42 overs; the target, though steep, seemed attainable.

George Hope got Washington’s reply off to a flying start, scoring 29 runs in an opening stand of 36 before being stumped. Greg Skinner (10) then seemed well set but was run out, and it took a stand of 80 between Tony Harris (28) and Dale Bracegirdle (68) to push Wash back on track. Bracegirdle, fresh from a ton last week, looked in fine form before being bowled.

Then came a tumble of wickets: skipper Grzonka came and went without troubling the scorers and Peter Kloss went for 5.

Happily, Threlfall was enjoying a golden debut for Wash, and in partnership with the ever-steady Neil Martin (2 not out), guided Wash home.

His skipper, unsurprisingly, had only honeyed words for the newcomer’s performance: ‘reminiscent of the young Grzonka’, he purred.

There is no higher praise than that.

Washington: Grzonka, Bracegirdle, Hope, Skinner, Harris, Threlfall, Kloss, Martin, Hitchcock, Hilsden, Tidey, N.

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Batting
Player Runs How out
Dale Bracegirdle 68 Bowled
George Hope 29 Stumped
Greg Skinner 10 Run Out
Tony Harris 28 Caught
C Threlfall 47* 
Pete Grzonka 0 Caught
Peter Kloss 5 Bowled
Neil Martin 2* 
Did Not Bat
Brad Hitchcock
Ian Hillsden
Nick Tidey
Partnerships
Wkt Runs Batsmen
1 36 Dale Bracegirdle  &  George Hope
2 20 Dale Bracegirdle  &  Greg Skinner
3 80 Dale Bracegirdle  &  Tony Harris
4 24 Tony Harris  &  C Threlfall
5 0 C Threlfall  &  Pete Grzonka
6 40 * C Threlfall  &  Peter Kloss



Fielding
Player Cts Wkt Cts Stmps
Tony Harris 1 - -
Brad Hitchcock - 1 -
Greg Skinner 1 - -
Bowling
Player Overs Mdns Runs Wkts
Nick Tidey 11.3 1 20 2
Dale Bracegirdle 7.0 1 34 1
C Threlfall 2.0 0 17 0
Neil Martin 8.0 1 37 1
Peter Kloss 8.0 0 45 0
Ian Hillsden 6.0 0 31 0
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