The first team’s yo yo season continued with a cataclysmic batting collapse whilst chasing just 140 against Compton & Chandlers Ford at Oakley Park on Saturday.
Bowling first, the Oaks soon took control with some great stuff from Tom Holbrook causing the Compton batsmen all sorts of problem.
The wickets soon started falling with Tom once again being the pick of the bunch with four wickets, backed up with further wickets from Clive Welsman, Dan Sumner and Jimmy Bright.
On Song: Tom Holbrook took 4 wickets
However, the Oaks will be kicking themselves for letting Compton off the hook with a tail end flurry of runs when, in reality, they should have been all out for 100 or so.
Still, 140, with a strong batting line-up, looked pretty much achievable but only Dan Sumner and Neil Robinson got in to the thirties whilst a late flurry of runs from tail-ender, Keith Cutmore, was not enough to avoid disaster with Jimmy Bright left stranded not-out.
This Oakley side has more than enough ability to survive and prosper in this league as the bowlers have shown, however an unsettled batting line-up when chasing small totals, is an issue that needs rectifying sooner rather than later.
Onwards and upwards chaps.
Up the Oaks!