All-rounder Hassam Mushtaq joined Thame Town to develop his leg-spin bowling, but the student produced a magnificent batting display instead as he scored 157 in a high-scoring draw with Great Brickhill.
Coming in at four in a depleted Thame side, Mushtaq’s innings helped allow Mike Higgs to declare at a mammoth 314-9. Player-coach James Crichton (pictured) hit 65 in a partnership with Mushtaq as the hosts struggled to cope with the batting onslaught.
When Brickhill batted, their opening pair managed to put on more than 150 as Thame rued a number of dropped catches. The visitors gradually clawed their way back into the game and wickets began to fall with Brickhill never having a realistic chance of winning. They finished on 297-8.
Thame missed a number of front-line bowlers, and Mushtaq’s batting exertions meant he was not able to have equal success with the ball. The best of the Thame bowlers were Will Rooney, who finished with four for 59 and Mike Higgs (3-96).
Thame remain third in Cherwell League Division One ahead of this weekend’s home match with Wolverton Town.
Elsewhere, the IIs drew with Brackley but the IIIs lost to top-of-the-table Chearsley IIs. The U13s beat Horspath and the U15s beat Aston Rowant, but the U9s lost to MP Sports.