Rowant relegated at champions (From Bucks Free Press)

Rowant relegated at champions

2:40pm Monday 6th September 2010 in

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ASTON Rowant CC have been relegated after just one season in the Home Counties League Division One.

They lost by 135 runs at Henley on Saturday, who were crowned champions for the second year running with their victory coupled with defeat for Welwyn Garden City.

Rowant needed to pick the 25-point maximum to have even a faint chance of avoiding the drop but their tenth league loss of the campaign means they finish last on 179 points, with Potters Bar going down with them on 194 points, level with Harpenden but with more defeats.

Like they did against Wycombe last week, Rowant won the toss and decided to insert their opponents.

But Wycombe made them pay heavily with score of 301-4, set up by a 186-run opening stand, and although Henley weren’t quite as punishing their batsmen did more than enough to heap the pressure on Rowant’s reply.

Openers Michael Roberts (30) and David Barnes (42) set a decent platform, and Jonno McLean carried it on with a half century.

Rowant captain Wesley Morrick (4-97) eventually claimed all three, but he and the rest of the away attack were powerless to prevent Bjorn Mordt playing what turned out to be a match-winning innings of 72 not out.

With Chat Keegan (35) offering support down the order, Henley stroked their way to 283-6 from 64 overs.

Rowant would need one of their best batting performances of the season to get close, and they got off to a promising start with Aaron Todd (18), Tim Morgan (32) and Alex Jewell (52) all getting runs at the top of the order.

But they unable to progress from base camp and it was a slippery slope after that as batsmen came and went in a matter of balls.

A shambles of a middle order added just 16 runs for five wickets thanks to scores of 2, 4, 0, 5 and 5, and by the time the tail was exposed the match and the season had gone.

But winning at Henley on the final day was always going to be a stern test and while Rowant fell short, their first experience of this level contained enough highlights to send them back down to Division Two West with plenty of pride.