Oxfam CC at Cumnor Cricket Club ground. Twenty overs.
Hoping to break an annoying losing run Bodley CC head to Cumnor to take on Oxfam. Sun hot, first day of the Ashes and friendly opposition put everyone in a good mood and it’s always nice to play at Cumnor. Bod are fielding a strong side. Cumnor firsts are training on the pitch when we arrive, and present a stark contrast to Bod and Oxfam players as they go through a pretty uncomfortable set of drills while we stand around and catch up with friends or sit down and watch. Also noticeable is the large amount of flying ants around, just before the game starts they all take off and fill the air for a good five minutes before we can start. Having found themselves in the middle without a coin Bod skipper Gareth suggest best of three boundary marker tosses. Looks ridiculous from the boundary, but Bod win the toss and elect to bat, Dave’s Shackleton and Freeman to open. Oxfam have had batters that have taken the game away from us before so as it is our home game we can set the rules and impose a 30 and retire rule - plenty of batting to come so swing and run hard is the order of the day. The Oxfam opener bowls a tight and fast first over, But Oxfam’s second doesn’t, with a lot of loose deliveries that cause problems for the Dave’s to score off and for the scorer to keep a record of. His first over takes 13 deliveries to complete and is a recurring theme throughout the innings. Extras cost Oxfam 44 runs of a Bod total of 148, with a lot of deliveries unplayable. When Oxfam get it right their bowlers have a knack of dropping the ball on a length which proves hard to get away. Dave S and Phil both retire, Leigh scores well but the general feeling is that the total is a bit below par considering the fire-power in the batting line-up and the expected onslaught yet to come. A quick turn round and Bod bowl, the skipper taking the gloves as regular scrum-half Neely is in Texas of all places, and immediately we are in trouble. One of the Oxfam openers goes on the attack from the start, playing shots depending on length and quickly retires after smacking Leigh and Stu for 6’s and 4’s at will. Some of the sixes looked to have dislodged bird nests in the towering trees circling the ground. The first innings showed all that slower bowling was the way to go, and despite the boundaries Bod are bowling well and the fielders are attacking the ball. Gavin and Dom carry on keeping a tight rein on things and a superb spell from Arthur picks up the wicket of Ben, Oxfam skipper and a good bat who has often scored big against us (for the Strollers as well) when Gavin takes a well taken catch fielding at point. Dom bowls well and picks up a useful wicket when Dave Busby takes a good catch and with Tim and Alec roaming the covers Bod manage to slow the scoring down after a number of Oxfam batsman got to 30 and retire. Then a controversial moment. A skier gets excellently caught on the boundary by Arthur, first parrying the ball up in the air and then catching second-time round. Big cheers and congrats to Arthur as the energy and noise levels go through the roof, only for the Oxfam team in the pavilion, who it has to be said have an excellent view of the boundary from their elevated position, call it a six as for them Arthur has stood on the line. A difficult decision to take but one that is (almost) universally accepted. The show must go on, and on it does. But then a bit of canny gamesmanship. Oxfam, to win, need to bring on their retirees, and a few of the tailenders seem to run themselves out to achieve this. So, 11 needed off the last over, and the opening bat back in. It's basically the world cup super-over, and Stu is Joffra Archer. A few singles, a wide and then a big hit out to deep mid-wicket finds Arthur, who rifles the ball back to the keeper, well in front of the stumps. With the gun batter tearing back for a second to keep the strike a dive for the stumps takes the bails off and the run-out is achieved. Phew. Another retiree comes in, again a big hitter, and with the noise levels now at fever-pitch, Joffra shuffles in. A dot and then a loose last ball, with four needed to win, sees a leg-side full toss fly to cow corner, where Shackleton has been deliberately placed for his good arm and normally safe hands. As team-mates watch, yell, and hold their breath, Shacks jogs calmly in and knocks the bails off just as the batters are attempting the third run with two runs needed. So, a close, boisterous game, played in friendly way, with a Bodley win off the last ball, what more could you ask for? Well played all, a great win, and a good time had at the clubhouse afterwards. SA, GJ
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Note from the Ed.Generally always written late on the night of the game. Any accuracy or sparkling prose is purely accidental. Archives
September 2019
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