Saturday

Some dodgy recent weather led us to believe that a full game looked unlikely, with showers promised throughout and a thunderstorm due between 6 and 7pm in the evening. Regardless, we managed to get started on time, with a bit of swirling rain greeting us for the first few overs, but that was about as bad as the weather got until 8pm that evening. Ryan and Duncan opened the bowling, both keeping an incredibly tight line, forcing the batsmen to wear a few on their bodies, and poke unconvincingly at some stuff outside…continue reading →

After another good cup win our next opponents were the positively titled Brill. A side who had an identical league record to us, with 3 wins, and 1 loss to Cairns Fudge. After a difficult selection week for Colin, with 17 people available, we eventually lined up with a strong XI, hoping that the weather would hold out for a full game. Colin lost the toss (time to retire the “lucky” coin) and we were put in. Our usual opening partnership took to the field against some accurate bowling from Kavanagh and Green,…continue reading →

A return to home turf saw the return of some decent weather as we contested the second round of the Steve Dixon cup. Our visitors were Chesterton, flying high in the League but short of several first team regulars for this match.   The opposition captain called wrongly at the toss, so Colin elected to bat on a typically good-looking Wantage track in the middle of the square. NiB and Benjy opened the batting against the bustling seam bowling of Price and the mixture of very straight deliveries interspersed with off cutters from…continue reading →

After last week's defeat, we were keen to get the show back on the road. And on the road we went, all the way to that well-known part of Oxfordshire that lies between Buckingham and Milton Keynes. Eight hardy souls met at the home of cricket, including Colin, who had to trek down from Oxford because he'd forgotten to collect a match ball. Barry took Chaz, Mongo and almost everyone else's kit, while Grant, NiB and Timmy were shoehorned into the back of Colin's Astra while Duncan stretched his legs at the front.…continue reading →

And so to intriguingly named Cairns Fudge (y’know, Chris Cairns… and fudge!) who we recognised as one of the leading teams in the division after their fourth placed finish last season. So when Colin won the toss and put them in, we were feeling confident when we had them 15 for 3, Duncan taking 3 good wickets, including a catch behind, a catch to gully and one that slipped through to take middle stump. The Fudge fourth wicket partnership though, began to dominate, and Small played some powerful shots through square cover, using…continue reading →

The early afternoon goings-on are a bit of a mystery to me, as I only turned up 20 minutes in, so someone else could fill you in on those. We were playing at the extravagantly titled Cassington Oval, which was our first away trip of the league season. Going on what I can comment on, I can safely say that Ryan and Chaz opened the bowling and kept it pretty tight, with runs at a premium for the Cassington openers. Chaz eventually found an opening, forcing a sharp, low catch at short cover…continue reading →

For our third successive Saturday home match, a quirk of the Cup draw saw us playing in the preliminary round against fellow Division 5 side and current Cup holders, Swinbrook. Heavy rain during the morning and previous evening had left the wicket damp and when the opposition captain called wrongly at the toss, Colin had no hesitation in inviting them to bat. Swinbrook’s opening batsmen had contrasting styles, with one looking to launch into anything loose and the other playing more watchfully. Ryan and Will Harvester opened the bowling and after several tight…continue reading →

So, to the first league match of the season as we began our division 5 campaign at home against West Witney. Colin continued his lucky streak for the season in winning a second toss on the trot and again putting us into bat on a very good wicket. [Captain’s edit – I lost the toss, they put us in] We started well and found ourselves in the surreal position of being 106-2 at one point with decent stands between Ben and NiB (33) and Ben and Barry (56). When Ben was 5th man…continue reading →

First game of the 2011 season and after a bit of a selection headache for the panel, with 16 players making themselves available, the chosen 11 arrived at the home of cricket for a friendly against Sunningwell, in some very atypical April weather, the sun beating down on a rock hard pitch that wouldn’t have been out of place at the WACA! Colin won the toss, well at least didn’t lose the toss, and elected to bat, in the hope of giving both batting and bowling departments a good pre-season workout. The batting…continue reading →