1st XI Match Summary
From the vantage point of Boars Hill, the 1’s watched the rain clouds scudding through the Thames Valley and counted themselves lucky not to lose more than 4 overs to showers. Inserted by W&BH, the 1’s innings was built around a watchful 56 from Mark C with the only other major contribution being a nicely judged 28 from Brian to ensure we batted the overs and accelerated the scoring rate in the embers of the innings. Billy spun his web from the allotment end and accounted for the middle order, taking 4 for 60 in combination with spin twin Ben Jenkins, who wheeled away and took 3 for 42 to restrain the 1’s to 166 for 7 in 49 overs.
In reply, Mindy played the anchor role and absorbed early pressure from Barkat and Rahul, who was moving the ball too much to draw an edge and deserved more than his 1 wicket. After 3 wickets fell (1 to Barkat and 2 for Kunal) the W&BH middle order handled the run chase admirably, with a blood spattered Nik King battling on after top edging a ball from Amit into his nose, before middle King and Paul Tyrer got them over the line with just 7 balls to spare.
Report by CB
2nd XI Match Summary
Oxford 3 beat Wolvercote 2 by 3 wickets.
3rd XI Match Summary
The threes were victims of the gods of Zeus and Tyche today (in other words bad weather and bad luck), but snatched a “winning draw” (whatever that means, it feels anticlimactic, and, frankly, a little bit shit). Tyche first made her presence felt at the toss, with Wolvercote being put in on a day with heavy cloud cover and rain forecast for the second innings. Her grip tightened with Lewis going for a second ball duck, before Crouch and Walsh steadied the ship with a fifty nine run partnership where “extras” did the bulk of the heavy lifting. In fact, “extras” was something of a major player for the Wolves, and ended the day with our third highest score – 40 (!). Our skipper survived being given out to a moon ball largely thanks to the generosity of Richard Ingram, his opposite number, who called him back after the square leg umpire was unable to determine whether or not the ball was a legitimate delivery. The reprieve was temporary, however, as Crouch, Walsh and Ayyaz departed in quick succession with the introduction of Rupert (“the bear”) Townsend, who ended with an expensive five-fer. The majority of the expense of which was plundered by a rampant Darren Jones, on secondment from the twos, who was eventually out caught for a bludgeoning 78, and a more watchful Abeer, with 41, and Toby, 20. The Wolves innings ended on 233ao in the 43rd over.
After a sumptuous return to cricket teas courtesy of the fine ladies of Chadlington, Zeus gathered his rain clouds for the second innings. The host team were missing six (SIX!) of the players who had unceremoniously thrashed us earlier in the season, including the belligerent Brown brothers (phew!). Buoyed by this good fortune, the threes set about their duties with diligence, removing each of the top 5 before they could really get in, but at a pace just behind that of the weather. The main thorn in our side was their opening left hander (one of a seemingly endless series of south paws in the Chadlington ranks), who could only be dismissed by a terribly unlucky run out at the non strikers after his partner’s drive caught Cole’s fingernail on its way to the stumps (ha!). Three rain interruptions followed, before each of Wolvercote’s bowlers tried in vain to winkle out the obdurate hosts. Coles was the pick of the visitor’s attack with a miserly 3-13 off 9, supported by Ayyaz (2-20 off 14, including 4 maidens), and Ajay (0-38), and Luke (1-24) before the two DJs (Jones and James) threw the kitchen sink at the Chadlington tail enders to no avail. Covers thrice came on and off (without much help from the host side), and the game reached its allotted time in the pitch black and pouring rain with no one feeling entirely satisfied. No one was the “winner” – least of all the game of cricket. It’s time to put an end to this “win-lose-draw” nonsense.
Report by DC
4th XI Match Summary
At Kennington, Wolvercote 4s beat both the rain and Faringdon 2s. Having won the toss, we put the opposition in under threatening skies. A flurry of boundaries, including a majestic 6 off the usually so miserly Simon P put some early pressure on our bowling but Rajat P broke a dangerous 2nd wicket stand when Nick A held a catch in the deep. Farringdon slumped from 42-2 to 79 all out with debutant Otis R-H holding a fine catch on his birthday and JP Gupta rattling through his overs at alarming speed, ending up with 4 wickets for the cost of 2 wides and nothing else. Our reply got off to a fine start with Alex B (29*) and Nick A (28) putting on 46 for the opening wicket. Despite three quick wickets the target of 80 was reeled in comfortably for a 7 wicket win, just as the skies were opening again.
Match Report by PL.