After three weeks of downpours, the rain departed in time for Saturday and the snail was on the thorn, the lark was on the wing, the Wolfpack were once again hunting on the cricket field, and all was right with the world.
1st XI
The sun took a while to burn through the morning mist making it a good day to bowl first. At Farringdon the first team were asked to bat and, after a cagey start with some tight bowling, the middle order in the form of Amit (23) and Chris Lynch (45) picked up the pace to help the Wolves post a below par 134 as Farringdon took their chances, the steady fall of wickets robbing the Wolves of any momentum. Amit took a blow to the calf from a throw in that relegated him to first slip. Tight bowling from Barkat and Toby plus a screaming catch from Lynch at point inches above the ground and a leg side stumping from Gus kept the Wolves in the hunt and built early pressure, but as the sun came out and the pitch dried Farringdon made batting look easy and they romped home with 20 overs to spare and 8 wickets in hand.
2nd XI
Meanwhile at Cutteslowe the 2’s posted 159 for 8 in 45 overs with Rizwaan making 50 on dayboo (welcome to the pack!), ably assisted by stalwart Madden (35). Buckingham Town 4’s could only muster 95 in reply with their chief tormentors being Payne (4 for 23) and Tom Field (3 for 12) well bowled lads! This win puts the 2’s at the top of the table early doors.
3rd XI
The threes had the match of the day, posting 208 at Eynsham, built around a solid 55 from Mark Lewis and 30 from Daniel James, who announced himself at the crease with a six! Walsh made a spritely 21 consisting of a single and 5 fours and Tom Sherwood also made a good contribution before selflessly running himself out in the final over trying to squeeze an extra run out of the innings. The bowlers worked hard in the heat with a tight spell from Will Coles that went unrewarded (again!). Eynsham 2’s came back from being ~115 for 5 at the half way mark to needing a run a ball from the last four overs. The task of containment fell to Crouch and Sherwood and a further wicket fell as the match went to the final over but Eynsham inched home with 4 balls to spare and 2 wickets in hand.
4th XI
At Kennington, in their inaugural game, the 4’s got off to a promising start with Sheehan and Gillham looking good for a few overs before the rot set in and they collapsed to 32 for 9 when Simon Palmer arrived at the crease. He dug in with skipper Quinn whilst Wingfield-Digby tried to dig them out. In the end Wingers Diggers got his way with the 4’s struggling up to 65, which wasn’t enough and Swinbrook overtook them in 14 overs, despite some tidy bowling from Miles Bratby, the only wicket fell to Norm and a nice catch from Mark Boulle.
Reports by Chris Babbs