University Offices - Jack Cox Plate Quarter-final, Balliol College Ground, twenty overs And so to the Jack Cox Plate, a sure sign that Summer is well and truly upon us. Having won two of our group games we find ourselves playing both this and the Cup, with this match coming after an already busy few weeks of cricket. Calendar congestion had left us with a short team and we were very grateful to those that could play and potentially carry us to the semi-finals. A debut went to Weston Library Graduate Trainee Miten Mistry, and we welcomed Iain Wilson back into the fold sporting his attractive new Bodley cap. Skipper Neely lost the toss, having narrowly called it wrong. Bodley were asked to field, and so the ten men of the library sauntered out onto the misshapen Balliol outfield, looking over with concern at the building site that was the much-loved club pitch. Fingers crossed it's only temporary. But to the cricket... University Offices are a team we’ve beaten in the past but the line-up looked pretty strong this time, the skipper opening up with our two quickest seamers, Shaw and Wilson. In the third over a bit of swinging at the ball brought about our first wicket, a sharp caught and bowled to Shaw. 14-1 from 3, not bad. Unfortunately for us the newly laid artificial wicket was true, the outfield (very) short on one side, and the Offices batters keen to hit out. By the midway point the score was 63-1 and by the time the next wicket fell – a wonderful clean bowled from Mistry’s handy left arm seamers – it was 115-2 from fifteen. The next five were a blur of boundaries as the bowling was attacked with gusto and catches were spilled (including a whopping fine for Jones, tsk). By the close of the innings Offices had racked up 172-2, a daunting total. No tea in a Jack Cox match so after a quick glare from skip and some gallows humour all round we set about batting. One of the upsides – possibly the only upside – of chasing a big total that you’re not terribly convinced is gettable, is the freedom it gives you, a freedom that often leads to a calm focus and refreshing clarity of process out in the middle. This proved very much to be the case tonight, as openers Neely and Shaw set up shop very nicely against some very sharp bowling. Whilst the first over only went for 1 run, the second went for 17 – bang on the run-rate. Third over again went for 1, then the fourth for 15. Terrific, we all thought, this is on, so long as this pattern continues. Sadly it did not continue. Shaw retired for a superb 30, bringing Wilson to the crease for a far too brief stay, then Philipson arrived and proceeded to give the fielders a catching practice session they clearly did not want. Eventually one stuck and Jones joined Neely, who was now approaching retirement as enthusiastically as a Bodleian curator. Webb replaced Neely, and with Jones built a good partnership, taking the score beyond 100 but finally falling behind the rate having been 80-2 in the tenth. Jones fell to a terrible ball, then Busby was bowled by a better ball, followed by Mistry, Phillips, Webb and Griffin, leaving the two openers back out there to smash a few more and leave us on 113-8 from our twenty overs. So not a bad score given the opposition strength, but nowhere near the 173 needed – we live to fight another day and look forward to a Cup run later in the month! GJ.
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Bitter & Twisted CC at Warborourgh. Two sets of innings each comprising sixteen overs.
Bitter & Twisted were probably the best thing about our tour t’ Yorkshire last year, restoring out wavering faith in social cricket after a chastening experience of Yorkshire league to get the tour going. So it was with great enthusiasm that we welcomed them to Oxfordshire for a return fixture in the timeless setting of Warborough. Both teams were a few short and with Bodley being ten to B&T’s eight, skipper Gareth Jones nervously sacrificed new player Adnan to the oppo in the hope he would do well, but not too well. Bodley also welcomed friends from the Mads to our ranks for this game, with Dips and Chris Michael lining up for the librarians. Given the baking sun and scorched earth beneath, the captains agreed on a novel format – two sets of sixteen over innings, with the team having the higher score after first innings choosing whether to bat or bowl first in the second. Additionally, all outfielders were to bowl two overs each, with the batters retiring on twenty five – an excellent set of conditions that guaranteed a good game with all involved. A few were heard to say this was probably as close to a test match as many of us would get! Bodley promptly lost the toss and were asked to bat, to our great delight. Bodley lost both openers in the first few overs, bringing James Shaw and son Dan together at three and four. Father and son put on a splendid partnership, with Shaw the younger outscoring his old man with some lovely boundaries and sharp running. James was out for a well made fifteen leaving Dips to pick up the baton and smash a quick 28 to go along with Dan’s equally well made 26, leaving both to retire unbeaten. Two of the wickets to fall went to Adnan, who bowled with skill and fitted in wonderfully to our sedate approach to the game. The skipper and Tim Philipson were at the crease for the closing overs, with both being rather befuddled by the two over spells and need for instant runs. Philipson played the usual Jones role of playing and falling over, whilst Jones played the usual Philipson role of hitting the slow bowlers for runs. By the end of the sixteenth Bodley had chalked up a decent 106-3. Frankly, with three innings to go, we had no idea if this was a good score though. Bitter & Twisted’s innings got under way with Jones putting his cards on the table and bowling the regular seamers first up, the Shaws again forming a good partnership. AS Bodley toiled through the overs it became apparent that B&T had learnt a great deal from our innings, with the untrustworthy pitch being given due respect and strike rotated well. After a number of retirements a wicket finally fell in the twelfth. A few tight overs at the end, with everyone fielding well and running hard to make up the gaps that only having eight outfielders leaves, ensured Bodley ended with a lead of three – 106 plays 103. Which is all very well, but now it was time for tea. Warborourgh village green is many ways the archetypal English village pitch, with views of rolling countryside, beautiful houses, a fine pub, and traditional pavilion surrounding the wide green, all surveyed by circling kites. Tea was enjoyed and tactics discussed, as the second innings brought a new focus to the bowling changes and batting order second time round. Having turned down the offer of a potentially red hot Quesadilla, but with at least three brownies down the hatch, the skipper took the option to bat and decided the best thing to do would be to simply flip the order from the first innings. So, test match fans, to the second innings... David Busby and Chris Michael strode out with firm instructions to have a go, and though Chris was unlucky to be bowled by a zooter that kept low, Busby and number three Philipson soon formed an entertaining partnership, both hitting fours ticking the score along. Jones came and went, being well caught in the covers, whilst Dave was sharply caught by the same fielder, now bowling. Dips was by now again building a total, with Shaws jnr then snr keeping him company. James and Dips played fantastically, with both retiring towards the end – Dips carrying his bat through both innings, very well played that man. Of particular note - for pure comedy value, you understand - was the inexplicable calling of 'over' by the umpire (answers on a postcard) when the ball, hit firmly down the ground by James, had yet to reach the boundary despite said umpire signalling that it had done just that. A hasty explanation that the batters having chosen to admire the shot rather than run, and the chasing fielder having apparently given up on it (apologies to that man!) had fooled our hapless adjudicator was met with quite some chuckling from both teams. Let's hope it wouldn't cost us! Our openers from the first innings were thus left to close proceedings and provide a pleasing symmetry to it all. Canny bowling and a spread field kept the score from getting away but a terrific four from the final ball had Bodley finishing on 125-5, giving a combined total to chase of 231. After a quick necking of drinks to stave off collapse in the searing heat both teams were back out for the fourth innings. Jones had by now – belatedly, perhaps – worked out that it was not about wickets, with so few overs being bowled, but rather more about dot balls and spread fields. Bitter & Twisted needed 129 to win, and Bodley were quietly confident. With Dips replacing Jones behind the stumps and B&T shuffling their batting, Philipson opened the bowling for the Bod, keeping things quite tight whilst Shaw jnr ran in from the other end. Keeping things simple and bowling everyone through (two overs, so hardly a spell!), the score was kept below the required rate, though those gaps in the field were proving tricky to plug when the batters did hit out. Eventually, and inevitably, the skipper had to bowl, and despite trying to convince the batsman and standing umpire that the ball was turning viciously, wides were given a few boundaries taken. Still, the proper bowlers had done a sterling job, with regular wickets being taken and some fine stops in the field, meaning that with four to go Bodley were just in front. Trump card and occasional Shane Warne impersonator Busby joined James to bowl the final spells and take us home, and with some good runs coming off the thirteenth and fourteenth, a tight penultimate was needed. Busby didn’t disappoint, bowling wonderfully well with a full length akin to an air balloon suddenly descending more rapidly than planned. With (exact figure to be inserted as soon as your author gets the score book in his hands) about twelve needed from the final over, James ran in with intent and ensured a mean final over to bring Bodley and even up the honours from last year’s match. A great game, with some marvellous individual performances but an even better team effort and spirit on a beautiful Summers day. The teams repaired to the nearby Six Bells for post-match analysis and talk soon turned to a repeat fixture next season – we certainly hope to see you again, and thank you for coming down to see us. GJ. DPAG, Jack Cox group stage. Balliol College Ground, twenty overs.
Not content with a weekend of top-class cricket, Bodley limbered up again for a Jack Cox match at Balliol College Ground this evening against DPAG, a team with a slightly better record than us. Bodley have of course had a terrific season so far and were, at start of match, in with a shout of a Cup spot. Skipper Neely lost the toss and was happy enough to be asked to field first. Eight of the touring party were playing tonight, and we jogged out raring to go after our unbeaten lap of Devon. Burnett and Shaw opened the bowling, picking up where they left off in Devon finding a tight line and good length. In the third over, with the score fairly ticking along, the gentleman assassin Burnett clean bowled one to rapturous applause from teammates. Next ball, in glides Phil, finds the edge and Neely takes a clean catch to make it two in two. Hat-trick ball was a peach but was kept out by the batter, squeezing it to gully – superb bowling from Burnett. By the end of the over it was 22-2 from 3. The next over was to prove just as eventful. Second ball was a pearler as James, still smarting from being harshly wided earlier, steamed in and delivered the ball on a perfect length to leave the batsman looking back at shattered stumps as he picked up his first wicket of the match. Three dot balls followed and then James drops the length back a touch, the batter leans back to wallop the ball but doesn’t quite connect. The ball flies in the air between Shackleton and Jones, and in an entirely unexpected turn of events Jones steams forward at full pelt to cut off the advancing Shackleton and take the catch at full stretch just as it dies in the air. 23-4 from 4, and Bodley are flying. A recover of sorts followed, with the remaining DPAG opener starting to find his touch, but in the seventh over Philipson was brought on in a classic piece of mixing up the bowling, and immediately finds the edge to secure another great take from the skipper behind the stumps. Next over and Robinson is in on the action, clean bowling another batter to make the score 51-6 from 8. By this point Bodley were ecstatic with the way things were going – we have rarely fielded this confidently and the high standard was rubbing off on everyone on the field. So, ninth over, what could happen here? Well, you guessed it, another wicket as Philipson this time forces the batsman into a heave and bucket hands Robinson pouches the catch as safely as a bean bag in a digger. 52-7 from 9. Next over was very disappointing given the previous few, as runs were scored and no wickets taken. But then in the eleventh our substitute fielder Hamish aimed a deadeye throw at one stump from the covers and ran out another batter. Superb stuff, well done that man. 66-8 from 11. As is so often the case a partnership then began to form and by the sixteenth over the score had risen to a very respectable 106-8, and Bodley were again chasing the ball from the boundary. In the seventeenth over Shackleton was summoned on to bowl, and duly had the batsman fooled with some terrific pacey swing bowling. A skier that probably registered on airport radar duly went up, and as Shaw steadied himself for the ball’s return to earth, ten team-mates held their breath ...as James pouched the ball as nonchalantly as is possible. Great catch. With Neely running in hard at the other end the runs were being kept down and in the nineteenth over Shackleton again found a peach of a ball to clean bowl the last batter. DPAG ended 123 all out, which given the way Bodley had them by halfway was a fantastic recovery, and a tricky total for us to chase. Bodley’s by now settled opening partnership of Neely and Shackleton quickly settled into a groove against some decent, and at times short, bowling. Both played wonderfully well and by the tenth over the score was 66 without loss with both approaching the employer justified retirement at thirty. Shackleton soon reached this whilst Neely settled in with new batter Shaw before being bowled for a well made and valuable 29. Philipson joined Shaw but was out before he could properly entertain the troops, bringing Jones to the crease, still nursing a pulled thigh from the weekend. Shaw was out not long after and Robinson joined Jones as the spinners started fizzing through the overs. Jones and Robinson ran well, taking the score up to 90 in the fifteenth over, Robinson in particular hitting a textbook pulled six as the bowler dropped short. Gav was eventually caught, and later the same over Jones was undone by the shagpile rug that constituted the newly laid artificial wicket at Balliol. 104-5 by the seventeenth. Burnett and Triggs were the new men in, and neither really had time to get their eye in. At the end of the eighteenth it was 111-5, with both batsmen running well and backing up like champions, so that by the end of the nineteenth it was 119-5. Five to win from six balls. DPAG opted to bring their opening bowler back on and set an in-out field, with gaps there for singles if the batters could place it. First ball, in runs the bowler, good length, and Burnett pushes the ball back into the covers and takes a single. Triggs is now on strike, and leans forward intently as the bowler runs in and fielders circle. It’s widish, down leg, and Robin does a terrific job of getting some bat on it to send it on its merry way for four behind square. Bodley win! A fantastic effort, with the whole team fielding superbly and taking their catches. Bowling changes were good and that opening partnership set up the pinch hitting that took us over the line. Bodley are now in with a very good shout of a Cup spot – a first for them possibly (records are being checked...) – though it will depend upon other results. Regardless of Cup or Plate it’s been a great effort from the Jack Cox team this season and one all should be very proud of, playing as we do against some very good opposition. Next match is on Saturday against touring side Bitter & Twisted – players still needed so do get in touch if you fancy a game. GJ. FFTMCC, Cutteslowe Park. 20 overs.
In stark contrast to Tuesday’s scorcher Bodley this evening played a highly competitive T20 under cloudy skies and a welcome breeze, against old friends and all round cricket troubadours the Mads. We don’t often beat the Mads, with a season closing win least year being against a weakened side and the years other matches going in their favour. This season we had an oh so close match with only a boundary catch off the last ball preventing Gav taking us to victory. So it was all set up to be a humdinger and both teams set about the game in great spirits. Bodley lost the toss and were very kindly put in the bat, still waiting for a few players. As our usual opener Neely wound his way back from glorious Wales skipper Stu valiantly, if rather too enthusiastically, stepped in as opener with Shackleton. This unlikely partnership – kind of a cricketing version of Strictly Come Dancing – set about the innings with unexpected flair, and it wasn’t long before Stu clobbered a four over deep cover to stake his claim as permanent number 1. Shackleton struggled to match Stu’s derring do, and with teammates in rapture the skipper progressed to a terrific seventeen with three boundaries before being caught skying one in the fifth over. But then as normal service resumed and Shaw Snr joined the bemused Shackleton it became apparent that the pitch was a little low and with the slow bowlers on, scoring became a little tricky. Shaw and Shackleton formed a nice partnership, finding the boundary often enough and keeping things ticking over before Shackleton retired on 34 in the ninth over. Next batter, Robinson, was soon undone by that low pitch, bringing the thoroughly discombobulated Neely to the crease in the tenth over at number five. The two batters set about trying to up the rate a little but unfortunately Shaw succumbed soon after for a useful eleven. This bought Jones to the crease with orders not to revert to Boycottean type. By now Neely had been possessed by an evil spirit intent on taking as many singles as possible, and he and Jones charged from end to end and back again to keep the score ticking over. Fortunately for a by now exhausted Jones, Neely lost the plot in the seventeenth over and smashed seventeen runs including a six and two fours. A relieved Jones kept swinging and running before Neely was unlucky to be bowled for a very well made thirty. With that and the skipper's opening blast a new batting order was apparently established, much to the skipper’s delight. This bought Bodley's senior statesman Milner to the crease, muttering about wool sweaters but intent on taking the score as far beyond 100 as he could. Only four were added in the nineteenth, but in the final over a well struck four back over the bowler helped scramble nine off the over. Bodley ended on 122-4, not a bad score, and one we hoped to defend. After a quick turnaround the skipper announced he had a cunning plan, a daring upending of the usual bowling changes. Burnett and Robinson opened and despite a four off the first ball things progressed rather well, with Gav getting a deserved wicket in his first over, clean bowled to set off the thoroughly enjoyable flashing bails. After another form Phil, Gav was back at it with another clean bowler, bails alight in the dusk once again. 2-19 in the fourth and Bodley were pretty happy. As is so often the way after a few wickets, a partnership gradually developed, as the Mads batters dug in and then hit out as Bodley missed a few chances in the field and talked openly about vegetarianism (too much of an in-joke – Ed.). The skipper came on to bowl, all shuffle and adoring female fans, whilst Milner spun his magic at the other end, Bodley’s Odd Couple enjoying a rolling back of the years. Whilst neither got a wicket both kept the score from getting away, and credit must go to the outfielders for some sterling work chasing, and to Neely for some sharp takes behind the stumps. Another wicket finally fell in the twelfth over with the score on 56, a sharp run-out effected by Shaw Jnr from the covers. Young Shaw was back amongst the action shortly after, having found the edge, and with Neely taking the catch the Mads were 59-4 in the thirteenth. Well, once again – as is bloody typical – the momentum then turned and the Mads started finding the ropes, the big hitting Shorten giving the outfielders sore necks as a series of sixes rained over cow corner. By the sixteenth the score had climbed to 102-4 with Shorten retired but Bodley fielding well. Bodley favourite and player’s player Dave Busby bowled a few tight overs of death from above, whilst Shaw and Shackleton were introduced late – the skippers aforementioned Cunning Plan – to choke off the final overs. Sadly the Mads had other ideas and a few sixes interspersed with some sharp running kept the score worryingly close. But what-oh! Shaw and Shackleton both bag a wicket, in the eighteenth and nineteenth overs respectively, and the game shifts back in Bodley’s favour. At the start of the final over the Mads are on 109-6 with two retired, so fourteen needed to win. The mads were going at the ball, with good hitters right through the order, and the fielders were spread to stop the boundaries and chase down any twos. So final over... Shackleton is tossed the ball and the fielders bare down like grass-stained middle class vultures. A good length ball, straightish, and wallop! Up it goes, miles up ...towards the skipper at cow corner. Oh dear!, everyone thought, poor bloke. To our surprise - in fact to his own evident surprise - Stu pouched the catch with such assuredness that the whole team suddenly though this may just be our day. 109-7, with five balls left. In runs Shacks, floppy hair flopping about, and dot ball! And another one follows! Three to go. The field pants restlessly, nervously. Besting a full strength Mads team would mean a lot to Bodley, so often the nearly men, so often bested themselves regardless of effort. Fourth ball, the end in sight, and Shackleton loses his line, sends it down leg, wide, allowing the batters to scamper two whilst the ball – oh the cruelty! – hits the keeper’s helmet sitting innocently on the grass yards behind a fuming Neely (put the helmet on your head next time - Ed.). 117-7, six needed to win for the Mads. In runs Shacks ...dot ball! It’s come down to this, one ball to hit a six to win the game for the Mads, everyone on the boundary for Bodley. The skipper looks round, checks everyone is in place, then sends Shacks the signal to charge in. The nine outfielders lean in, all eyes on the batter as the back lift goes up and hovers menacingly. Good length ball, pitches, batter rocks back, swings and ...smash! The connection is good, the ball flies off the bat, but at no height! As it careers over the ropes for four the eleven men of Bodley realise they’ve won, by one run. Mads end up on 121-7, bloody well played as they were looking like overhauling us until those late wickets, and Bodley - led by the jubilant skipper - shake hands and allow broad smiles to beam across their faces. A superb game, played by 22 committed cricketers in the best of spirits with everyone contributing. Well played all and as Stuart kept saying as we ambled off with sore bodies, we beat the Mads! One for the whole team this. GJ Osler/Green-Templeton, New College Ground, 20 overs
On a day that saw such simple tasks as sitting on a bench become almost impossible due to the heat, and a week that had driven most library staff to the cool escape of the subterranean bookstacks, the eleven men of Bodley dragged themselves to the New College Ground to play a twenty over Jack Cox match against last year’s comically competitive Cup winners Osler/Green-Templeton. Picture if you can a scene of scorched earth with two sets of stumps in the middle, heat haze rising from the Martian wicket, and eleven apprehensive library staff all desperately trying to claim a fielding spot with the sun behind them, all this whilst two upright opposition batsmen strode out to commence proceedings. Well, that’s where we start our tale. Skipper Neely had lost the only thing we really wanted to win today – the toss. With this crushing defeat came the inevitable confirmation that we were fielding first. Of course we were – who in their right mind would want to field in this heat? The aforementioned climatic conditions prevent a clear and concise recollection of events (not to mention the scorebook being somewhere in the bookstack as this is typed), but popular opinion has it that Shaw and Shackleton opened the bowling, the latter making a rare appearance for the opening overs of a game. To everyone’s surprise, our by now medium pace bowling kept the opposition very quiet indeed. As the overs ticked by it became apparent that the Osler batters were intent on playing outlandish shots straight out of the theme park cricket of the IPL, but sadly a series of singles, lbw appeals and whirling bats was all that resulted. It wasn’t long before a wicket fell to Shackleton, but this only brought a big hitting new batter to the crease. After several overs of swinging at hot air the boundaries finally started to flow, but it was of enormous credit to Bodley that by the half-way point the score had been kept down to about 40 odd. As Bodley’s secret weapon – Burnett’s previously unseen spin paired with Philipson’s long-run-up-hiding-a-heavy-slower-ball, ensured the slow rate continued, talk amongst the by now completely dehydrated fielders turned to devising a batting order to ensure a Cup spot was not coming our way. We need not have worried. After a run out and couple of deserved wickets for Wilson – both clean bowled just clipping the bails as the batters continued their policy of attempting to dance and bat at the same time – the intent seemed to change and tired fielders were soundly flogged as the Osler skipper attempted repeatedly to launch the ball into Oxford’s orbit. Suddenly the innings was over, and Osler had chalked up a very decent 160-4. Neely and Shackleton duly walked out to bat and after only a short while Neely was back in the pavilion having been caught by the keeper down the leg side, a flying take that actually was straight out of the IPL. Shaw was next in, and along with Shackleton played nice shots, finding the boundary and ticking the score along well on a par with where Osler had been. Unfortunately Shaw was soon returning to the hutch too, and could put his feet up after a punishing shift with bat and ball. This brought Bodley’s new number four to the crease – the unstoppable force that is Mr. T. Philipson of East Oxford. A spanking four whipped behind square off a straight ball had the crowd in rapturous applause, but sadly Osler again got the upper hand and Tim returned to his team-mates all too soon. Wilson was next in, and unfurled a couple of lovely shots before being undone by Osler’s close fielding – the field was basically a close ring with all nine outfielders competing for the title of keenest fielder. Jones followed, only to be run out as Shackleton caught whiff of a kebab van beyond the other end of the pitch. The ever calm Webb was next in, and settled into a mini-partnership with Shackleton only to be adjudged caught behind and compelled to walk by lots of shouting. Wides were becoming a problem for Osler by this point of the game but it was going to take a spraying of Mitchell Johnson proportions to help Bodley to victory. After Webb fell it wasn’t too long before Burnett, Busby and Phillips all succumbed and in the fifteenth over with the score at 64, the match was dusted with Osler delirious and Bodley relieved. A difficult game for Bodley, and one we’re glad to move on from, hoping for fairer weather and kinder pitches as we take to Balliol for our next match against DPAG on Tuesday 4th July. Players are still needed so do get in touch if you fancy a game. We’re off on tour between then and now – to Exeter for some sun, sea, and singles. Reports to follow! GJ Inkpen CC, Inkpen. Sunday 11th June.
New ground, new friends and Bodley get their second victory in as many days. Four wins from eight, even I can work out that’s a 50% success rate, heady days for the team. A long journey south along the A34 and then leafy country lanes saw the team finally arrive at Inkpen’s ground, deep in the heart of rural Berkshire. Inkpen are a side much like Peasemore in spirit though talking to one if the oppo before the game gave the impression of a side that has about eight fixtures a season and often struggle to get a side out, the one we played include a couple of pre-teen boys and some older players who hadn’t played in quite a while, putting us in the rare position of playing the game in the right way to make it enjoyable for all. With that in mind, after winning the toss and putting Inkpen in, Bodley open with Tim, whose three overs go for not many runs and a couple of wickets, both cleaned bowled as a mixture of straight deliveries and poor shot selection combined with the best results for the bowler. Leigh starts form the other end and from then on it’s a steady rotation of every outfield player getting a chance, with wickets falling fairly regularly. Nice to see Andy MacKinnon bowl in his first game for a while and Dan Shaw, son of James, also gets a chance to turn his arm. Wickets for Dave’s Busby and Shackleton, Phil, the skipper and two for James at the end (on a hat-trick his first ball of the next game), some good fielding and a lot of dot-balls reduce Inkpen to 112 off (about, haven’t got the scorebook) 20. All but one of the wickets are clean bowled but the other, off Dave Shackleton’s bowling was a catch from Dave 2, Mr Busby, which was one of the best in recent Bod history. Running forward and then a last minute dive Dave got to the ball just in time. A difficult catch, and considering how many we’ve put down recently all the more special. Dan Shaw should have also got a wicket, that of one of the Inkpen youngsters who was probably their top scorer but he was called back when caught off a suspected bump-ball. Mike was the only one not to have a go, keeping wicket instead. Then tea, seems important to record these things. Usual supply of sarnies, sausage rolls, cakes and tea to drink, but then, hang on, what’s this. A box of beer is brought out and put on the end of the table, ‘help yourself lads’ says the oppo, and a few of us did. In the spirit of adventure and with the licence that confidence in an assumed victory brings the skipper, reporter of this tale, opened with Mike. Seemed logical based on the concept of people having a go who hadn’t done much this season, despite a deserved spot at number 10 or 11 and the one previous innings this season lasting two balls. This go didn’t last much better, a brief flash at a wide one was dropped at slip, a word suggesting caution from partner than another flash immediately after is taken at square leg. Dreams of a glorious fifty, an ambition for a number of seasons now, are again put to bed. Mike builds an innings though, Leigh briefly joins him before being caught then Gav helps out before a ball that decides it doesn’t like heights and traps him plumb in front. Tim comes in (surely if ever a ground was meant for Tim it is this one?) and some is finding the boundary before another successful LBW. At the start of the innings a batting line-up as worked out designed to be as fair as possible, and with the hope of getting James and Dan batting together. In a regrettable decision the skipper, after Leigh’s early dismissal, changes this, bringing David up the order. Turns out this was unnecessary, David and Dan work well together after Mike’s innings comes to an end to see us home, a mixture of good running between the wickets and a few boundaries but James could have done this just as well, don’t panic being the lesson learned for the skipper. Highlight of the innings is a lovely 6 from Mike, who swivelled onto a leg-side full-toss to effortlessly ease it over the square-leg boundary. A good win for the team, sure they could have bowled their best bowlers in tandem and skittled the oppo out cheaply but where’s the fun in that? Everyone has had a go and hopefully Inkpen had a good game and will invite us back again next year. Beer for tea! Two games to go before tour, a JC then a return fixture against the Mads. How far can this winning run continue? SA A day of upsets, but perhaps none bigger than was to unfold on the hallowed turf of the University Club when Bodley took on IT Services in a Jack Cox T20 fixture. A tough match against a team who have often found themselves qualifying for the Cup stage of the competition (where the good teams play). Thanks to some last ditch talks and backroom deals Bodley were able to form a coalition of 11 players. Skipper Neely lost the toss, and to general surprise, Bodley were asked to bat. With Shackleton arriving late, having been up all night analysing the swing vote, an Oxford East and West progressive alliance of Neely and Shaw was formed as our opening partnership. Adopting a laissez-faire approach, the runs began to flow quickly as the pair went on the attack against the opening bowlers. Neely and Shaw brought up their 30s in quick time to retire to the benches. Neely’s innings ending with his first six (the first of many for the team this weekend!) for the Bodleian after 11 years and 143 matches. The team look forward to another in 2028. Despite being ‘completely knackered’ from his nocturnal activities, Shackleton began building a strong and stable platform at number 3, and was joined by Tim Bubba Philipson who found the green with a four off his first ball. Soon after though, Tim found himself returning to the back benches, falling lbw to a delivery swinging to his blind spot to the right of centre. This brought Chief Whip and enforcer McKiernan to the middle and, in typical style, he was soon despatching the ball to the boundary. With Shackleton retiring on 32, he was replaced by the returning Iain Wilson, freshly recovered from his 87th hockey injury. With Iain having lost none of his aggressive approach to batting, the scoreboard was racing along. Leigh retired on 31 and was replaced by Webb who deftly rotated the strike with Wilson to leave Bodley with a total of 175 for 1 from their 20 overs. A commanding majority. James and Leigh opened the bowling. The IT Services openers came out on the attack but Leigh struck in the second over, finding some extra bounce, to claim the first wicket with a caught behind. James and Leigh give Bodley a strong and stable start in the face of some aggressive batting. Shackleton then took over, and with his nocturnal refinements clearly having an effect, his swingometer was deployed to devastating effect with two wickets falling. Another wicket fell with Wilson claiming an lbw. With Tim keeping things tight at the other end, IT Services were forced into taking risks and Mike claimed a run out with some sharp work in the field. With IT Services beginning to look dangerous, Tom Dale, having arrived as a spectator but immediately declaring himself fit to play after injury to help Bodley field a full side, volunteered himself as death bowler. With Bodley’s paceman entering the attack, the run rate crawled to a halt and in his second over, Tom flattened the stumps to claim a deserved wicket. With IT Services needing 40 off the last over, Bodley’s victory was assured. A fantastic effort from all of the team with the bat, ball and in the field. This must rank as one of Bodley’s best ever Jack Cox results against a strong side with plenty of batting and bowling in their line-up. Thanks are especially due to Alec, Mike and Tom for all turning out for the team at short notice. A great advert for Jack Cox cricket with both teams playing in a friendly but competitive spirit. Bodley toasted victory at the bar with beer, burgers (a double stack for reformed meat enthusiast Shackleton) and curly fries. Our next JC match is on the 20th - we look forward to another high turnout. MN FFTMCC, Cumnor Cricket Club, 20 overs
Thwack! Not the sound, unfortunately, of the ball finding the middle of the bat but the ball finding the chest as Bodley let three catches go through their hands and smacking into bone. A spirited performance against our oldest rivals, Far From the MCC, saw Bodley come within 5 runs of winning on Friday, with a swash-buckling 32 from Gavin nearly seeing us home. Needing a 4 off the last ball to draw the match Gav was caught in the deep. Others chipped in with the bat, Leigh a quick-fire 19, James a 12 and Rob a 10 but we lost wickets at key-times, the main difference being the Mads held their catches when the Bod didn’t. The game was played at Cumnor, a peach of a ground with a bar. As both teams turned up they were surprised to find the out-field brimming with youngsters going through coaching drills and practising skills, most impressive. This meant a delayed start to the game, and along with the traditional toss to decide the order of the game a brief discussion was held as to whether the game should be shortened in case of bad light towards end, nah, balls to it was the collective decision, but let’s not hang about between overs/innings, ok. Mads to bat first, Leigh opens the bowling with James at the other end. Leigh’s first over goes for two, James’s first is treated with less respect. A 4, then a 6, a dot and another 4 causes a mild panic out in the middle and in the Bodley hearts but things soon settle, James gets a cleaned bowled and then gets some revenge on the opening big-hitter with Gav taking a sharp catch in the slips. Mads lose their first wicket on 34, then Bodleys bowling starts to tell, with Mads losing next lot of wickets at 35, 41, 45 and 57. Bodley manage to slow down the scoring while taking wickets but are aware that there are still some big hitters to come, but then a crucial partnership develops between 5th, 6th and 7th bats for the Mads, who go from 57 for 6 to 108 for 6, helped on by a couple of wides and those dropped catches. The Mads finish on 116, which considering their start is not a bad performance for the Bod bowlers, who have some tidy figures for their efforts, Tim goes for 3 an over, as does the skipper (despite the usual expense of the impossibletoresist slow-ball at the end). Two wickets for Leigh and James, one each for Gav, Tim and David Shackleton. Dave S and Matthew open, Matthew finding the boundary a couple of times before finding the hands of the square-leg fielder, who hangs on to a fiercely struck shot. David is then well caught in the deep before James is caught and bowled and then Leigh bowled. A tumble of wickets but crucially not before each had put runs on the board. With Leigh’s departure Bod are 69 for 4, well above the Mad total at a similar stage. Rob and Gavin get us almost there before Rob is out, Tim can’t get enough of the strike to hit some much needed sixes and then Gav needs a four of the last ball to tie, six to win before James Hoskins takes the catch in darkening conditions to win the match for the Mads. An excellent game against a team that have been friends and rivals for years. Again losing wickets at key times has cost us dear but considering the results against the Mads recently to come so close against a strong team is a creditable performance. Return fixture on the 23rd, here’s hoping we can get revenge. SA Blenheim Park CC at Blenheim Palace. 40 overs.
Is there a finer setting for a cricket field in all England than that on the South Lawn of Blenheim Palace? Perhaps, or perhaps not. At any rate, it’s an impressive scene, particularly when a solid 48 hours of unbroken rain has watered the greensward to a lush, deep verdure. And then out comes the sun to brilliantly light up the sea of green with the magnificent bulk of the Palace as a backdrop. It’s a spectacle that enthrals visitors from around the globe. Be that as it may, for some of our number that is simply not enough of a draw: the lure of the Wood Festival in far Chiltern Hills once again calls Stu and James, Gareth has his new wheel-barrow that simply must be pushed up and down the back garden, and Leigh has decided he has much better things to do on this particular Sunday. So, with some regulars unavailable, Bodley calls on Ollie Pascoe, a cricketing friend of David Shackleton, to step into the breach. Word has it that Ollie is a useful hard-hitting batsman who can bowl a bit. Also, up from Sevenoaks for the game is Tim Saunders. A mere 200-mile round trip to play cricket for Bodleian CC. Top effort Tim. While Bodley occasional Chris Marsh makes his seasonal debut. The XI is completed by: Tim Philipson, David Busby, Gav Robinson, Phil Burnett, Nigel Walker, David Busby, Matthew Neely and Andrew Milner. Alec Paton is on hand as 12th man. The pitch is the greenest of green-tops which had not been cut before the game as the lawn mower refused to start. At least the wicket is pretty dry thanks to the covers. Captain Milner calls the toss correctly and invites Blenheim to bat. A chance for our bowlers to make hay out of the long grass. Besides we are always better when we are chasing a total aren’t we? Nigel takes the first over and, ever-reliable on his home ground, it’s a very tidy maiden. Nothing for the batsmen here. Phil bowls at the other end and is in the groove: again no runs off the bat. Then, unalloyed joy, Nigel strikes in the third over to clean bowl opener Martin Cox with a beautiful delivery moving off the seam to peg back off stump. One wicket down with 3 on the board. The Blenheim batsmen now dig in, surviving and scoring ones and twos here and there. After ten overs Blenheim are 25 for 1. Bodley are fielding well and seemingly are in control. Ollie takes over from Phil and bowls tidily to a good length, while David Shackleton replaces Nigel at the other end. After 25 overs the Blenheim total reaches 85 with the loss of a single wicket. The captain, perhaps ill-advisedly, calls up the slow spinner. A quiet enough couple of overs and then the Blenheim pair decide to put the hammer down. The ball flies to all corners of the park: fours and sixes. Now it’s 142 for one in the 31st over. Yikes! Time to bring back a seamer. Gav, the swerve-master of the South Lawn, takes over from Ollie while Phil relieves the shell-shocked spinner. Gav strikes in his second over to take out the Blenheim number three with a beauty: bowled for 83. Then Phil gets in on the action to take two wickets in two balls. The first a wonderful catch by David Shackleton at deep long on. Text book technique under the high ball. Next ball the stumps are disturbed and the Blenheim number 6 is on his way. Gav, not to be outdone, takes two more wickets in his next over: David Busby clasping a tricky catch to his chest at mid-on to dismiss the opener for 57. Then Chris Marsh takes a smart catch at gully. Wonderful stuff. Blenheim 154 for 6 in the 34th over. Shortly after, Chris dives for the ball and lands heavily on his shoulder. It looks nasty and he leaves the field in some pain to make straight for the Palace. Only later do we realise than an ambulance has been called and poor Chris is taken to A&E with a suspected fractured collar bone. Terrible bad luck. Alec, as 12th man is on hand to step into the fray. Thanks Alec. Shackleton, back on to finish the innings, takes a wicket as Ollie safely holds on to a catch at short mid-wicket. Then smart work between Milner and keeper Neely runs out the Blenheim Oxfordshire under-13 player. Stuart would not have approved but he was away in a wood somewhere so it’s ok. Gav gets his fourth wicket with the help of Phil’s assured catch. I think it’s fair to say Gav reallylikes bowling at Blenheim – who could forget his 5-fer last year? After 40 overs the Blenheim innings closes on 176 for 9. A decent total but, as the pitch seemed to be getting more benign as the afternoon wore on, it’s gettable we feel. Tea is taken under the trees. A decent spread with a large, selection box of chocolates in the mix. Matthew and David stride out to begin the Bodley assault. Unfortunately it’s not long before Matthew is back in the hutch. Clean bowled by the wily Spearman in the second over. Mathew swears he will never, ever, ever open again. We’ll see. 2 for 1 in the second over. Time for a Bodleian dig-in. Shackleton is joined by Ollie at the crease. A couple of biffed fours shows Ollie is not the “dig-in” kind, boundaries are more to his liking. Things are looking up. Then, oh dear, Ollie is bowled off his pads to one aimed at leg stump. 17 for 2 in the seventh over. Up steps Tim Saunders and a most encouraging partnership builds. Clearly this is not an easy pitch on which to build an innings: patience, technique are the watchwords here. The partnership ends when Tim lofts one to midwicket and the Blenheim fielder makes no mistake with the catch. Sir Gav now makes his entrance and is looking full of confidence, as well he might, after his heroics with the ball. Unfortunately a 21 run partnership is brought frustratingly and prematurely to a close when Gav is run out by a sharp throw from mid-wicket. Four wickets down, 63 on the board, and 22 overs bowled. Still, David is still there looking set for great things. Tim Philipson is next man in, and his swing is as finely grooved as ever as we all know. A couple of swishes and the ball is imperiously dismissed to the boundary each time. A joy to behold for his teammates gazing on in awe. At the other end David is playing with great panache. Has there ever been a more correct stylist to grace these fields? I don’t think so. While these two are out in the middle there is hope. But all good things must come to an end and this good thing ends when Tim is adjudged lbw for 12. A very useful 35 run partnership and we are 98 for 5. Eleven overs left, 79 runs to get and 3 wickets remaining. It’s beginning to look a long-shot. Our final 4 wickets fall in short order. Phil and Andrew do not tarry long. Then, agony, Shackleton is out, caught Cox, bowled Angol for 54. Another great innings from David. Nigel’s is the final wicket to fall leaving David Busby on 1 not out. 109 all out in the 35th over and Blenheim Park the winners by 67 runs. Once again Bodley came to Blenheim with high hopes only to leave second best. As so often our bowling (mostly!) and fielding were excellent but we just need to bat with more depth. We can’t rely on David to do all the heavy lifting in the batting department. I’m glad to report the game was played in an excellent spirit, cemented by both teams repairing to the Woodstock Arms after the game. Sunday cricket at its finest, and we look forward to the fixture next year. AM Stats/Medawar at Mansfield Rd, 20 overs.
And so to the old lady of Oxford amateur cricket, the Jack Cox Interdepartmental Tournament. For those unfamiliar, departments from across the University enter a team and play each other in four groups before the class swots and class clowns are separated for the Plate and Cup knock-out section of proceedings. All played at the staff club and a great social opportunity for all involved, not to mention a chance to get some practice in on the artificial wicket. So, all that being the case, it was after a scorching day with clear skies and a light breeze that Bodley arrived at the club and looked up at the skies. The same sky that was now grey, cold, and drizzling. Skipper Neely won the toss, and elected to bat before it got too wet. Neely and Shackleton – restored to opener and looking focused – walked out to kick things off. Today’s opposition was the cryptically named Stats/Medawar, and they kept a tight line but immediately found that the increasingly wet pitch offered even more bounce than normal. Neely was unlucky to be out for seven after a reflex catch from the bowler, bringing Webb to the crease. A brisk partnership soon developed, though the bounce (this is important) was catching both batters out. Shackleton eventually departed for twenty nine, having top edged one that bounced a bit (there it is again), bringing Philipson out to play. Our Tim didn’t waste any time getting his eye in and was quickly giving the fielders a good workout. Sadly he was undone in the eleventh over by a ball that, quite unexpectedly given the mixed bag from the bowler, bounced a bit on him and caught the top edge on its journey to the grateful keeper. A well made thirteen was much enjoyed by his team-mates though. This brought Jones out, and having taken advice from the well-set Webb the over was sensibly played out with a great swing to the first ball faced, which, due to prodigious bounce, top edged about twenty yards into the grey sky before being inexplicably dropped by the fielder. Webb succumbed shortly after for a stylish, and valuable, eighteen, which brought about the belated introduction of Bodley’s very own Flintoff, Mr. McKeirnan of Marston. Leigh set about the bowling with scant regard for the bounce (did we mention the bounce? It was quite the most awful pitch to bat on). Whilst the fielding was tight and frustratingly well placed the score ticked along, the rain still falling, and Jones still swinging like Basie at the other end. The trampoline-like bounce (ahem, honest) did for Jones in the end, a top edge again flying through to the keeper, and another caught was chalked up for Stats. Burnett, sporting a Proteas hat that demanded an all-round contribution, was next in, and with a flick and a push joined Leigh in building the score to over a hundred. When Leigh finally fell for twenty one – caught and bowled – Triggs came out and played a most splendid cameo that included what was unanimously agreed to be the shot of the day. A good length ball, just outside off stump but likely to bounce prodigiously if left unattended was driven off the back foot down the ground for four. Well played! These two rattled off few more boundaries and ran for all they were worth, with the score ending up on a not too shabby 128-6. Given the rain and tricky conditions, we thought that was an ok score. But what did we know! After a good deal more rain came down and a discussion about the chances of taking advantage of curry night at the club were ended without agreement, we strode out to defend our score. Unfortunately, no-one had told the Stats batsmen that the pitch was providing the bowlers with uneven and at times unexplained bounce, and that the conditions demanded watchful, old fashioned play. By the eleventh over three batsmen had retired with scores of thirty plus, numerous Bodley bowlers had been reduced to grumpy old men, and all had whites that would make your mother very angry indeed. It was a disappointing turn of events. With the score on 96-0 the first wicket fell, to the excellent Shackleton. Next up in the twelfth Neely got one to keep low and clean bowled another. The scoring rate was by now barely a run an over, and Bodley sensed an upset – only seven more overs and no boundaries, and victory would be assured. Well, with Triggs pulling things out of his closet of mystery balls, another wicket was taken in the fifteenth, with a sharp catch at mid-on from Shackleton. The momentum was with Bodley now. Next over, the sixteenth, and Neely charges in, hurls the thing down, and gets another bowled. 120-odd for 4 now, and only three and a bit more to go. A four brought things level, but the game was tight. Neely bowled the sixteenth over and a dot ball signalled intent to take things to the end. But then a single was pinched and reality hit home as Stats wrapped things up. It was by now very wet indeed and hands were quickly shaken, stumps gathered and then a sprint to the bar commenced. A good game, with Bodley just not getting enough on the board and then succumbing to some powerful batting in conditions we never got to grips with. Did I mention the bounce though? It was all because of the bounce, honest. On a serious note, we have plenty more Jack Cox yet to play and encourage anyone who fancies a fun, social twenty-twenty match to get in touch, as we do seem to be struggling again this year for players. Next up are the charming Blenheim Park on Sunday at Blenheim Palace. All welcome - it’s not a bad spot to watch the cricket. GJ. |
Note from the Ed.Generally always written late on the night of the game. Any accuracy or sparkling prose is purely accidental. Archives
September 2017
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