Denning’s six-wicket haul helps Henley end on winning note

HENLEY closed out their Home Counties Premier League Division 1 season at the Brakspear Ground last Saturday with, on paper, a dead rubber against FINCHAMPSTEAD, but in reality the match turned into an emphatic display that reminded everyone of the side’s quality.

A year ago, this very fixture had all the drama of a title decider, with Henley coming out on top to lift the league crown, but this time there were no trophies or relegation places at stake.

Finchampstead won the toss and chose to bowl and Henley responded in style. After a wet week the wicket played surprisingly well.

Johnny Connell was the first to go, undone by Berkshire team-mate Ben Salter, before Matt Dalrymple and Charlie Dunnett began to build a steady partnership. Dalrymple was next to fall with the score at 43-2.

Dunnett and Lamsdale steadied the ship, the latter with a high-class 50 before a run-out ended his stay. At 137-5 the innings was delicately poised, Henley fielding one fewer batter this week as captain Adam Searle had chosen to bolster the bowling.

This proved a shrewd gamble, as Richardson and Searle came to the party, both striking half-centuries, Richardson with his trademark authority and Searle celebrating a maiden league 50 with a flurry of sixes. A few lost balls later, Henley had surged to an imposing 273-8.

With runs on the board, Henley came out to bowl with Harry Jordan and Declan Farland taking the new ball. After a tight start, Finchampstead’s Predgen launched a flurry of boundaries and a huge six. Jordan had the last laugh, removing Predgen soon after.

From there Dunnett and Denning took over as the wickets began to tumble. Denning’s opening contribution was a classical leg-side loosener that somehow did for Marles, and from that spark the fire spread quickly.

Dunnett produced a spell with some real quality, sending down several unplayable deliveries and picking up Smith and Campion. At the other end, Denning finally came good, balancing out his ongoing injury with experience and guile, taking wickets at regular intervals to finish with outstanding figures of 6-17.

Finchampstead were dismissed for 130 in under 23 overs, sealing a 143-run win for Henley.

This was the perfect end to a frustrating campaign for Henley who could not match the heights of last year and had to settle for sixth place in the league, the title instead heading to High Wycombe. Finchampstead, despite their heavy defeat on the day, still finished in third.

Questions now turn to the future: will skipper Nugent be fit to return after his season-long injury, and will Henley look to strengthen their squad over the winter?

There were notable positives across the season. Searle stepped in admirably as captain after Nugent’s injury, and backing it up with more than 30 wickets. With the bat, both Charlie Dunnett and Matt Dalrymple passed the 600-run mark, a superb achievement for both players. Harry Jordan’s comeback from a long-term back injury was another highlight, spearheading the attack with resilience and skill.

So while sixth place will sting, Henley head into the off-season with reasons for optimism, with the aim that dead rubbers may once again become title deciders before too long.