HAVING suffered a gallant loss against a revenge-seeking Moorhaven and secured a strolling victory against Carvel only days later, Walkham Valley's next match saw them take on Oddballs, a team that had never lost against the lowly villagers. Winning the toss, Oddballs chose to bat first, taking advantage of the light and no doubt confident in their abilities, a confidence which was, at least in the first few overs, not misplaced. Despite an early success by Hills in removing one of the openers, Ward's bowling proved to be especially tasteful to the straight hitting Worth who hit a six and two fours off one over. Yet that was but a temporary setback because over the course of the innings, Walkham's bowlers took wickets steadily, one each to Spreadbury, Smith and Moule, two to Tynan, and, in a final rally, three to Berry, two of them off consecutive deliveries. A run out added to their woes and a suitably chastened, ten-man Oddballs were bowled out for just 128 with two overs to spare; Walkham had a chance. In what is proving to be a developing partnership, Walkham opened with Hills and Tynan, a pair that once more didn't disappoint. Indeed, much to everyone's surprise, it was Tynan who retired not out first, having hit five fours, with Hills following soon after, both having recorded 27. In at three was the straight bat of Alex Brown and though on this occassion he didn't fulfil his potential, caught off the bowling of G Hewitt for 10, everyone agreed there was a certain poise about his approach that shows promise for the remainder of the season. Next in was the out of form Richard Berry. Having managed just eight against Moorhaven and bowled for a duck against Carvel, expectations were not high, but then nobody anticipated what might result from having his mum watching on the boundary. In a display that has been unequalled in its intensity this season, Berry hit four fours in as many balls, followed by a couple of casual singles and finished off with a straight six to score an unbeaten 24. Strangely, due to a miscalculation from the scorers, he was retired on that score, but the damage had been done. Spreadbury and Curry, in at five and seven and sandwiching the unlucky Vincent at six, were able to see off the Oddballs' bowling with the odd boundary amongst the singles. Predictably, Spreadbury found himself in a position to finish it off and chose to do it in fine style, pulling an audacious maximum to the leg-side boundary. Walkham, with three overs to spare, had laid the Oddballs curse to rest, losing just two wickets in the process and with a resurgent Berry, thanking his mum, walking away with the honours.
