St Clement’s Strollers at Magdalen College Ground. 20 overs. Wednesday 9th June.
www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5106065 With memories of a heavy defeat in our last match against the Strollers back in 2019, we arrived at the glorious Magdalen College Ground anticipating a tough contest. One Bodleian player courted controversy with the groundsman with some ill-fated off-road parking attempts, but our luck improved as we were put into bat. Matthew Neely and Phil Burnett opened the batting against some tight bowling, Phil falling for the first of an extraordinary 6 LBWs in the match. In marched David Shackleton who put together a terrific partnership with Matthew before retiring, unbeaten, on 51. Matthew scored 27, anchoring the innings with his trademark array of glances, pushes, and cuts, while David combined classical drives through the covers with a mighty six biffed over long-on. James Shaw came in at four and hit a quick 19 before Strollers struck back with a flurry of wickets as Dan, Tim, Asad and Gareth scrambled additional runs in the final overs. Bodley finished on a respectable 124-6 from 20 overs, a defendable target if not an unassailable one. Phil and James opened the bowling, James continuing his good run of form with an LBW in his first over. Strollers were scoring runs but unable to put a lasting partnership together, as Bodley took wickets at regular intervals and fielded well. Asad and James took three wickets each while keeping things tight, thanks also to some excellent fielding despite some light drizzle. At one stage in the middle of the innings, Asad bowled 10 deliveries, picking up 2 wickets with no runs conceded. Dan Shaw and David joined in the fun with wickets of their own, while Andrew Milner’s flighted wrist spin bamboozled their batsmen as they looked for runs. Strollers could certainly bat, and as the gloom descended it looked like they would do it, having reached 100-8 in the 18th over. However, Phil took a comfortable catch as their dangerous batsman tried something a bit clever and David Shackleton sealed the win with yet another LBW. A pleasing end to an exciting game played in very good spirits. Our next match, against a friendly XI from Cumnor CC, is on June 20th, before a busy July filled with fixtures against some old sparring partners. DH
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