Saturday

For our last home game of the year, we faced Chesterton, who we had beaten in the cup, but been smashed beyond sight in the league. However, the difference this time was in knowing that a win would put us beyond Chesterton in second place and secure promotion with two games left to play. After last season’s final day heroics that would seem a bit of an anti-climax but nonetheless we were all keen and ready despite the early morning deluge which looked like it might prevent us playing. As it happened we…continue reading →

As England were racking up the runs against India and we started to wonder whether our Day 5 Test Match tickets were going to prove worthwhile, we all found our way to Uffington, surprised to find that the heavy rain which had hit Wantage in the morning had not found its way there. It didn’t look like a cricket match was about to be played however, as all 11 Wantage players stood around ready and waiting but opposition players, umpires, stumps and a boundary rope were all conspicuous by their absence. Eventually the…continue reading →

An early meeting up the club saw a few hungover faces, but everyone was in good spirits for the game against Brill, which was begun at 12:30 to allow us to get back for PicNic’s wedding in the evening. We arrived after driving to the wrong side of the ground, and were surprised to see a damp pitch which wouldn’t have looked out of place at the Glastonbury festival. There was a radio recording going on next door to our changing room, and the next-door-toilet was a brutal assault on the nose even…continue reading →

The first weekend of August brought with it our penultimate Saturday home game of the season. It's a good job that's the case, since the day started with the now customary breaking of the ground maintenance equipment. This week's culprit was Grant, who contrived to shear off the connector between the tractor and the outfield mowing blades. Our pre-match fielding drills were well underway as the opposition arrived after their long trek from Great Horwood, and for a change the fielding looked quite convincing as most catches were taken and very few throws…continue reading →

We found our way to Stanton St John, ready for a high-intensity top of the table clash against in form Cairns Fudge. The feeling was that to win the league we’d really have to grind out a result so it was a good start when Colin won the toss, even if he later admitted he didn’t know what to do. The Wantage fielders were relieved as he chose to bat in the roasting afternoon sun – the British Summer finally beginning. In NiB’s absence Ryan took over opening duties, and played an uncharacteristic…continue reading →

Having fallen further behind Cairns Fudge last week after the ridiculous OCA rulebook gave us 5 points for a rained off game, whilst they were able to play a game and win 30 points, we knew that we needed a good win today to try and catch up again. We also knew that Cassington were a team we should beat, having won by 9 wickets earlier in the season, and with a squad of 17 to choose from we had an embarrassment of riches with our full squad. Colin was still struggling after…continue reading →

For the second week running we arrived to find that Colin had broken the tractor, but Mongo's magic hands and a couple of jump leads meant that we didn't have a new addition to the outfield. The lucky coin worked again, so we were in the field against the side who won our division last year and looked a stronger outfit than the one we beat in the first round of the cup. After a very tidy first over from Ryan, Grant found the outside edge with his very first ball but it…continue reading →

A second home game in two days, and some potential for a cup upset if we didn’t play well. A look at the OCA website had confirmed that although Risinghurst were two divisions below us they certainly had some strong players who could cause us trouble if we weren’t at our best. Fortunately this was another “on-day” for us, and from the off when we were within a whisker of a first ball run out and then a third ball run out we gave absolutely nothing away in the field (well, one person…continue reading →

After our cricketing misdemeanours against Chesterton, we needed a good performance against West Witney to get back on track. Things didn’t quite go to plan, however, as the Witney opening pair put on a hundred opening stand. Although Ryan and Duncan kept things tight to begin with, runs were coming and not many chances were being created. A couple of swings flew out of the reach of point but in reality there were no clear cut chances, and when Duncan “Wooly Mammoth” Wooloff pulled up with a groin strain after 7.3 overs it…continue reading →

An away match, for a change, and a long-ish trip to Bicester led us to Chesterton, sitting 3rd in the table, but promising a very competitive game. Having already beaten their under-strength team in the cup, we were wary that they had some first team regulars back in the team. Their top 4 batsmen in particular looked strong, judging by the internet research that some members of the team had undertaken. This proved correct, as after winning the toss and bowling, we were dispatched comprehensively for 6 an over for the first ten…continue reading →