Seniors’ Group teams just keep on winning!

Oxon Over 70s cruise to ten wicket win, while 1sts and 2nds are also victorious

Dave Beck’s Oxfordshire Over 70s side made the short trip to local rivals Warwickshire this week and returned home with an impressive 10 wicket win, in their latest outing in the South West Friendly Cricket League. 

The hosts won the toss and elected to bat at the picturesque Alscot Park ground just outside Stratford upon Avon.

However, it was the visitors’ opening bowlers Colin Houseman and Errol Masters who caught the eye. Left armer Houseman removed both openers before the total reached 28 in a spell of 2-13 from eight overs while Masters tied up the other end with a fine spell of 0-20 from eight. 

Brian O’Sullivan battled hard to take Warks to a more respectable 66 for 4 before he was run out for 19 by Hugo Ritson-Thomas, whose left arm chinamen proved even more effective than his fielding, when returning figures of 3-19 from eight. 

And it was spin all the way to the finish as – off spinner Suresh Patel (2-9 from eight) and skipper Becks, left arm orthodox (1-36 from eight) – contained the hosts to a modest 102-9 from their 40 overs, with extras top scoring on 24.

In reply Oxfordshire’s openers Adrian Beecroft and Tim Gush made light work of the chase, taking just 26 overs to knock off the runs required. Beecroft was in particularly belligerent form hitting 10 fours in his total of 61 not out off 89 balls, while Gush provided excellent support in rotating the strike as he made 36 not out from 68 balls.

Warwickshire toiled hard in the field and both Bob Penrose 0-17 from seven and Clive Powers 0-24 from eight, both returned respectable figures among the six bowlers used.

Next up for the unbeaten Over 70s is a home game against Hertfordshire at Kidmore End CC’s ground at Crowmarsh near Wallingford. 

In contrast to the Over70s the Over 60s 1st XI won their game against Buckinghamshire at Banbury CC, by the ‘barest of margins’ – with apologies to Kiwi cricket commentator, Ian Smith. 

Chasing 216 to win Phil Manger’s team were well placed at 211-6 when the heavens opened with just seven balls left in tight match in which both sides were at times well in control of affairs. The rain proved too heavy to resume play and the hosts won by four wickets wickets by virtue of being two runs ahead on the Duckworth Lewis calculation when play was called off for the day.

Oxon won the toss and asked Bucks to bat in damp drizzly conditions, but it was the visitors who were soon in control as the Oxon bowlers struggled to grip an increasingly wet ball, and the fifty partnership was posted in just 12 overs for no loss, with Steve White striking the ball crisply on both sides of the wicket on his way to a fine 50. He was well supported by Michael Farnon as they took the score to 108 in the 25th over and Bucks looked well in control before two superb stumpings by Oxon keeper Phil Manning, brought the home side back into the game as the visitors slipped to 114 -5.

Paul’s Hemming’s offspin was proving difficult to get away and with figures of 3-33 he looked to have wrestled the advantage back towards Oxon. However, 40 from Gary Hales (father of Alex of Notts and England) with good support from tailenders Brian Shipley and Denzil Owen saw Bucks through to a par score of 216.

The Oxon openers again had to work hard to see off the new ball and both Daryl Woods and Nick Mormon got into double figures before both fell to Sharath Jetty (2-25) before the score had reached 30. Again Bucks looked in control.

But Charlie Anderson (46) and Paul Hemming (72) had other ideas. The two put on 94 for the third wicket and Oxon were well and truly back in the game, before two quick wickets restored the knife-edge balance of the game again.

Hemming continued to score freely but his partners were struggling. Enter Steve Roberts who had earlier produced yet another miserly opening spell with the ball of 0-20 from nine. However, with the bat his counter attacking 35 off 24 balls proved to be the match winning support that Hemming needed to get Oxon ahead of the D/L when the rain that had threatened all day finally ended the match seven balls short of its scheduled 90 0vers.

Next week the1sts are looking to maintain their unbeaten run when they travel to Podington CC near Rushden, where they take on Northamptonshire.

Andy Haynes’ 2nd XI finally got on to the field this week against Bucks seconds and even after three weeks of in action due to the weather they still managed a very good away win. Needless to say they still had to battle the elements as heavy drizzle fell during the majority of the day’s play.

Bucks won the toss and elected to bat and were soon piling on the runs in an opening stand of 114 between Adrian Johnson (69) and Ian Pulsford (61), which was continued when Pulsford eventually fell stumped Neil Megson off the bowling of Steve Partington and Johnson was lbw to Steve Kelly. 

Nigel Field (41) and David Tosell (27) kept the runs flowing and a handsome total looked on the cards, until the visitors bowlers pegged back the scoring rate in the latter half of the contest, with Bucks closing their innings at 227–4 when a something north of 250 had looked well within their grasp earlier in the innings. 

Oxon’s chase did not start well when Ivan Mulford went third ball, but unperturbed skipper Haynes (43) and Mike Howatt (41) posted 58 for the second wicket, which was then moved on to 116 for the third wicket by Howatt and Tom Scrase, before Howatt was dismissed.

Scrase played what looked to a match winning innings with a run a ball 66, and was well supported by new partner, Dave Warner (21) as they compiled a 78 run stand for the 4th wicket which left Oxon just 33 short of their target.

However, they then let the hosts back into the game when the next two batsmen both went for 0 and it was finally left to Steve Partington and Andy Slater to shepherd the visitors home by three wickets and with five overs to spare.

Lincolnshire are the visitors next week in game that takes place at Shipton under Wychwood.

Both the Over 60s 3rd XI and the joint Oxs/Bucks Over 70s 1st XI were without County Championship fixtures this week. Instead – to ensure everyone remains in good form – the two sides played each other over the usual 45 over format at University College, Oxford.

Choosing to bat first on a low, slow wicket with a very damp outfield the 3rds made 162 all out, which was then chased down by the Over 70s with just nine balls to spare in a match that proved to be every bit as competitive and keenly contested as any normal 60/70s County Championship and provided an excellent work out for all those involved. 

And finally……..

Can somebody please fix the weather?!