Category: Sports News

FOR the third year running, Thame Ladies have reached the final of the Top Club competition. On Sunday, July 22, they travelled to Banbury Borough to face the combined teams of Banbury Borough and Bloxham (amusingly nicknamed “banblo”).

In the singles, Caroline Walker started nervously and soon found herself trailing 9 shots to 1 against her similarly named Banbury opponent Carol Walker. At 11 – 3 down she looked beaten, but gradually Caroline got back into the game with some excellent bowling and soon drew level and with a four on end 15 surged 15 – 11 ahead. The Banbury bowler was stuck on 11 shots and Caroline turned the screw to go 19 – 11 up. A slight wobble from Caroline saw Carol Walker get back into the game with a 4 herself, and at 19 – 15 the tension was mounting. However, cool and calm Caroline held on and drew 2 shots on the final end to win 23 – 16.

In the pairs, Jill Brooks and Doreen Penn were rarely in trouble against their Banbury opponents. They completely out-bowled them end after end, and finally won by 9 clear shots at 29 to 20.

The triples of Maire Duncan (who had travelled up from her holiday in Bournemouth especially to play), Marthie du Preez and skip Val Birchley had a much tougher game on their hands. There was never more than 2 shots between the two sides and it went right to the wire. On the final end with Thame just one shot ahead, Maire drew a shot right onto the jack, and this was soon followed by a wood from Marthie which stopped just 2 inches short. They hung on to these two shots to win 20 to 17.

Although the four of Carol Boyland, Margaret Boynton, Ingrid Dale and Maxine Plested battled hard for every shot, they eventually lost by just one shot – a very brave effort.

So – well done ladies – you are on for the hat-trick of top club successes. The final will be played at Oxford City & County on Saturday, August 25th against either Shiplake (who Thame beat in the previous two finals) or Oxford Sports.

SOURCE: Club report by Vic Brooks

THAME Town vs Slough – Saturday, July 21, 2012: AFTER two weeks of waterlogged pitches, Thame were relieved to resume their Home Counties Div 2 campaign against Slough. The visitors are one of the stronger sides this season and a favourite for promotion, so Thame were pleased to win the toss and use the bowler-friendly conditions at Church Meadow to put the pressure on.

Thame’s tight bowling restricted Slough to under 100 at lunch, and with four wickets gained, the home side were fancying their chances. Will Rooney continued his good form, and Vandit Jivrajani helped to put Thame on top with four wickets when Slough crawled to 150 all out in the 59th over.

The wicket was always going to favour the bowlers. However, when Thame batted they were faced with ex-international Zulfi Butt, a veteran of the Home Counties leagues. He bowled unchanged from one end to tie the Thame innings down, as wickets fell at regular intervals and none of the home batsmen could get going.

New player ,Jesul Rathod, looked comfortable until playing too early at a good ball, but only Ed Barnett, Manoj Parmar and Pratik Patel joined him in double figures as poor shots and some dubious umpiring decisions removed Thame’s chance of overhauling the Slough total. They were eventually all out for 71 with six overs to go, after shutting up shop but failing to keep out the Slough bowlers. The excellent Butt claimed six wickets in his 22 overs.

Tiddington vs Thame Town

Thame Seconds lost away by four wickets to Tiddington in a low scoring match, whilst Thame Thirds gained some revenge by beating Tiddington Thirds, also by four wickets. The Club is hoping the improved weather will last as the grounds at both Church Meadow and Lord Williams School have suffered considerably through the amount of rain that has fallen in the first half of the season.

SOURCE: Contributed PHOTO: Pratik Patel

RECENT sponsorship from Thame-based company, CPM, mean that members of Haddenham’s thriving running club will be easier to be seen when they’re out and about on the local running routes.

Haddenham Runners are going well into their new season with numbers steady each week. Recent success in the Thame 10K saw members posting good times, reaping the benefits from all the hard work they have been putting in, especially up and down barrack hill.

Waddesdon 5K is the next race in the clubs sights, with several members aiming to compete in this deceptive event.

Club spokesman, Peter McDermott, said: “We would like to thank CPM for this sponsorship, and to thank ThameNews.net for their continued help, and also to the Kings Head in Haddenham, who are always there with a friendly face and welcome.”

The club always welcome old and new faces. So if you fancy a run, take yourself down to the Cricket club car park in Cuddington, for 7pm on Thursdays.

THAME United, who returned for pre-season training two weeks ago, have their first pre-season friendly this coming Tuesday (17 July) at the ASM Stadium against local rivals Chinnor (7:30pm kick off). The game will give manager Mark West the opportunity to assess new players as United look to build on their mid-table finish in the Hellenic Premier League last season. United will then face home matches against Hook Norton (21st July, 3pm kick off), Slough Town (28th July, 3pm kick off) and Oxford United (02 August, 7:30pm kick off).

The Hellenic Premier League season is due to start on Tuesday 7th August, in order to give teams a competitive game before the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup on Saturday 11th August. The draw for the cup has already been made with United drawn at home against Premier League new boys, Newbury. The winners will then face Southern League side North Leigh, a team that defeated United 2-1 in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup semi-final last season. In the FA Vase, United have been given a home tie against Clanfield 85.

STUDENTS from Lord Williams’s school, Thame, today met the Mayor of Thame, and ex BBC Weatherman, Bill Giles MBE, during a bowling session as part of their GCSE Sport curriculum.

Bill, who lives in Chinnor, is an avid player and ambassador for the sport of bowls and is currently the club’s Chairman. The Mayor of Thame, Nigel Champken Woods, was there to present the club with a cheque for

REGISTER NOW for year’s Summer Squash Camp at Racquets, Thame, with Roger Ridler – For kids aged 7 – 16 years.

Lunch and equipment provided. Visit the Racquets website for more information about how to register: http://www.racquets-fitness-centre.com

THE children’s fun run, usually held on the same day as the Thame 10K, had to be cancelled this year because weeks of heavy and persistent rain had left the fields waterlogged.

Thame Runners, who organise both events, have now rearranged the Fun Run for July 11, at 6.25pm from Thame Leisure Centre. The event will take the form of a short run from Thame Leisure Centre, down the Phoenix trail for a while and back again. Registration is

MATCH REPORT (Contributed) Thame Town First X1 Vs Harefiled – June, 23, 2012: THAME Town hosted London side Harefield in Division Two, West of the Home Counties league on Saturday, hoping to build on their improving form.

After winning the toss, skipper Mike Higgs elected to bowl first. Harefield made a steady start, with their two best batsmen opening and seeing off the new ball in the first few overs. Sam Lachlan then dismissed Nkala and Harefield progressed to 97 for two at lunch, with Macey also dismissed for 60.

The visitors then faltered against accurate bowling, and when Will Rooney came back on, he captured four wickets to claim four for 51 off 14. Harefield were all out for 189 in the 59th over. Vandit Jivrajani also claimed four wickets for 44 off 19.

The Thame innings started well, despite the loss of Mike Higgs for one. James Nielson and Pratik Patel looked in total control until Nielson was caught in the over before tea, leaving Thame on 78 for three. After the break, Ed Barnett, Vandit Jivrajani and Pratik Patel continued the home side?s dominance, taking the score to 170, as the Harefield players began to wilt.

However a flurry of wickets, including a hat-trick for Harefield?s Doug King, left Thame counting down the runs. Manoj Parmar and Harry Desai saw them home in the 44th over, to give Thame a well deserved victory by two wickets.

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THE Second team’s game at Horspath was curtailed by rain, despite 86 from Chris Jeffcock and three for 22 from George Patey, which put Thame in a winning position.

The Thirds gained a victory over Stokenchurch, with Guy Holmes scoring 67 as Thame overhauled the visitors 129 by four wickets.

MATCH REPORT (Contributed) Thame Town First X1 Vs Harefiled – June, 23, 2012: THAME Town hosted London side Harefield in Division Two, West of the Home Counties league on Saturday, hoping to build on their improving form.

After winning the toss, skipper Mike Higgs elected to bowl first. Harefield made a steady start, with their two best batsmen opening and seeing off the new ball in the first few overs. Sam Lachlan then dismissed Nkala and Harefield progressed to 97 for two at lunch, with Macey also dismissed for 60.

The visitors then faltered against accurate bowling, and when Will Rooney came back on, he captured four wickets to claim four for 51 off 14. Harefield were all out for 189 in the 59th over. Vandit Jivrajani also claimed four wickets for 44 off 19.

The Thame innings started well, despite the loss of Mike Higgs for one. James Nielson and Pratik Patel looked in total control until Nielson was caught in the over before tea, leaving Thame on 78 for three. After the break, Ed Barnett, Vandit Jivrajani and Pratik Patel continued the home side?s dominance, taking the score to 170, as the Harefield players began to wilt.

However a flurry of wickets, including a hat-trick for Harefield?s Doug King, left Thame counting down the runs. Manoj Parmar and Harry Desai saw them home in the 44th over, to give Thame a well deserved victory by two wickets.

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THE Second team’s game at Horspath was curtailed by rain, despite 86 from Chris Jeffcock and three for 22 from George Patey, which put Thame in a winning position.

The Thirds gained a victory over Stokenchurch, with Guy Holmes scoring 67 as Thame overhauled the visitors 129 by four wickets.

AS 2012 is an Olympic and Paralympic year, what better way to show the strength and courage of those spending a lifetime in a wheelchair than to conquer three mountains in less than 36 hours!!!

In June 2012 Nigel Pattison and his team, mostly made up of members of Racquets Fitness Centre, in Thame, will be encouraging and supporting Gaz Houston, also from Thame, up the Three highest peaks in the United Kingdom, to raise money for the Matt Hampson Foundation.

As an emerging talent in the world of rugby, Matt Hampson?s world was rocked by a serious spinal injury sustained while training with England U21s. The shock would last months, the impact forever. Paralysed from the neck down Matt faced the toughest challenge of his life. Drawing on the passion, grit and steely determination that defined him as a player, Matt saw his accident not as an end, but as a new beginning.

Through the Matt Hampson Foundation, Matt offers hope and inspiration to young people with similar injuries, sharing his experiences and devoting his life to raising vital funds for those in need of support.

Nobody knows the needs of these people better than Matt.

http://www.matthampsonfoundation.org

Please Support us to help those seriously injured or disabled playing sport.

This year the Challenge team from Thame includes Nigel Pattison, Martin and Laura King, Jack Shrimpton, Owen Fisher, Andrew Stansfield, Emma Godfrey, Nik Mauger, Andy Ford, Tara Eastmead and Steve Symons.

To support please go to:
http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/neverbeaten

PHOTO: Gaz Horton training at Racquets, Thame, for his three peaks challenge