Binfield Cricket Club's 5th XI were beaten by 127 runs by Chesham CC 4th XI at Coleshill on Saturday 11 July in Thames Valley Cricket League Division 9D, Rakesh Sugumar's 3 for 30 the highlight of a long afternoon as Chesham's 236 all out proved far too many, Binfield replying with 109 despite Peter Henly's defiant 25.

Cricket can be a stern teacher, and Saturday at Coleshill was one of its sterner lessons. Captain Matthew Potter set the tone himself with a beautiful opening burst - six overs, a maiden, 1 for 16, and the first wicket down for a duck - but Chesham regrouped through Marcus Monteiro's 48 and Venkat Chandrasekar's 38, and useful runs right down the card kept the total climbing. Rakesh Sugumar's 3 for 30 from 7.2 overs was a model of control, Peter Henly picked up 2 for 43, and Binfield stuck manfully at the task to bowl the hosts out for 236 in the 40th over - though 53 extras, 30 of them wides, tell you it was not the tidiest of days in the field.

The chase, alas, never got going. Arlo Parkin bowled beautifully for Chesham, 4 for 25, and wickets fell too regularly for any partnership to take root. Rupert Warren battled to 21 up top, and there was late defiance from Peter Henly, whose 25 was the top score of the innings to go with his two wickets - a thoroughly honourable double on a difficult day - but 109 all out left the margin a chastening 127 runs.

Peter Henly · 25 and 2-43

Chesham, second in Division 9D and worthy winners, were generous hosts; Binfield's six points keep the 5th XI fifth, and elsewhere in the division Slough, Beaconsfield and Lacey Green all won on the road. These afternoons happen to every side in every summer - the trick is what you do with the next one, and this 5th XI, with three wins on the board already, will be back.