Oakley park has witnessed some extraordinary hitting in its long history, but few players at the club have been more extraordinary than Brad Compton-Bearne who, in a manner one could only describe as unorthodox, clubs the ball with such ferocity, even his mistimed haymakers sail over the boundary.
The Oaks were in trouble yesterday as after a great early start with wickets for Brad (yes him again) and George Lethaby, the impetus was lost when the Compton number 3 took advantage of a dropped catch and punished the latter innings bowling with some fine stroke making.
The total of 168 could have been worse, but 4 late wickets for Will Bentley at least curtailed Compton and halted a late charge at 200. Pick of the bowlers was you know who, with 1-18 off 10.
Chasing the target, the Oaks were 0-2 then 2 for 3 before Jack Brundle and Kalum Sappumannage steadied the ship, aiding the score somewhat painfully to 48-3 in the face of some excellent tight bowling.
When Kalum went LBW, the stage was set for a Brad innings as the Oaks were well behind the run rate on 48 after 25 Overs. There was a feeling around the ground that we were about to witness a golden duck, or utter carnage.
BANG…SIX…BANG…SIX…BANG…SIX! That’s right, we were witnessing the latter, as Brad, so well supported by Jack at the other end, unleashed hell on the Compton players who had assumed they were on a stroll in the park and on their way to a comfortable victory.
Kalum, our new Sri Lankan player, who had shown class and text book technique in his innings of 24, looked on in utter bemusement as six after six flew over the fence with such ferocity it beggared belief. “Who is this maniac?” he appeared to be thinking to himself.
The only surprise at the one ‘chance’ that did come Compton’s way was when the ball screamed into the chest of their fielder, it didn’t go through his ribcage and come out of the other side ‘Tom & Jerry’ style.
King of Carnage: Brad Compton-Bearne
It was fitting that with two needed for victory Brad was on 98, a point at which no one was in doubt that Brad would club it to the boundary. He did of course, completing an astonishing century that stunned Compton into silence when just half an hour earlier they assumed they were cruising to victory.
So after being on 48 off 25 Overs, suddenly we had reached 170 off 37 Overs in an innings that took 38 balls and included 12 sixes; you could barely make that story up.
When he walked off, Brad shrugged his shoulders and said, “I suppose that was the only way we were going to win.”
He is one strange bloke is Brad, but we love him all the same.
A special mention to Jack Brundle, who battled through for a chanceless 34 not-out, carrying his bat to make Brad’s innings possible.
Incredible stuff.