A makeshift Oaks team made up of the George Lethaby fan club, beat Timsbury in a thrilling evening contest last night.
Oaks lost he toss and bowled first but after it became apparent that Timsbury were not the greatest side in Timsbury, captain for the evening, Bob Lethaby, heroically made a decision to bowl everyone on the pitch for at least one over.
A plethora of pie chucks, no-balls that came down with snow on them and wides that ended in another county, allowed Timsbury to a competitive total of 135 in a game that featured the batmen having to retire on 25.
The most remarkable part of the innings was a hat-trick for Dan Sumner in the final Over; a great moment against some of the best batsmen I have seen since I watched the Basingstoke blind 11 fending off a sharp bowling attack whilst using sticks of rhubarb as bats.
Batting second, Mr Quiet, Mark Potter got off to a slow start, retiring on 28 after a stoical eight ball innings, allowing George Lethaby to show great skill by gloving a donkey drop to the wicket keeper in the next over. Alex Brundle soon followed after a couple of hefty fours.
Once again, the man they call Mr Pressure, Bob Lethaby, came to the crease, executing a mixture of class, diligence, belligerence and brilliance as he compiled 22 of the most beautiful runs you will see before a top edge hoik got him caught behind off a ball that would have made Waqar Younis weep with envy.
Alex Gray and Tom Barnes batted well, Alex in particular, with a quick fire 21, but the rate was getting above 10 an over with wickets falling, however, when you need a hero for an hour, anger can be power…Enter Brad Compton-Bearne, a man who has not played since school and was wearing a testicle crunching pair of whites that he once used a s a colts player.
However, with 10 needed in the last over and his bemused brother Charlie wondering what to do at he other end, Brad stood up to the plate like a children’s comic book hero from the 1950’s.
After a running a few and hitting a lusty 4, 2 runs were still needed off he last ball…Bang…an enormous six that had his team mates erupting with joy and laughter from the sidelines.
What an occasion, what a night, all that was missing was a vision of the sun setting behind the Christ the Redeemer statue…No matter, for one night only, Brad the Lad, was our Lord and Saviour!
Up the Oaks!