After what seemed like an eternity, the sun shone once again at Oakley Park this weekend, seeing the First XI maintain their good form and the Sunday XI embarking on an entertaining encounter with the Tabard Pilgrims.
Oaks Cruise to Win Over Rowledge III
The First XI made it six from seven in the league, making short work of a depleted looking Rowledge side at a sunny Oakley Park.
After a slow start, losing Clive Welsman (5) and Paddy Saines (15) Gerry Dique (95) led the way with another great knock in a long and steady partnership with Michael Wood (34).
This set up big hitting Brad Compton-Bearne to come in a destroy the Rowledge attack with a late flourish of sixes. Unfortunately, a two ball duck meant that this cunning plan didn’t go as well as hoped.
However, the tailed wagged furiously and some aggressive and often comedic late partnerships involving James Bright, Alex Brundle, George Lethaby and Mark Potter, took the Oaks comfortably past 200 on a pitch that suited bowlers better than batters.
And so it turned out, with (apart from a resilient opening batsman) little response coming from Rowledge as the wickets started to tumble. Mark Potter was unlucky to go without reward but Tom Barnes (3) Alex Brundle (3) Brad compton-Bearne (2) and one apiece for Jimmy Bright and Clive Welsman ensured maximum bowling points in a victory that was never in doubt.
The only disappointment for the Oaks was that nagging ‘if only’ feeling that comes with reflecting on some of the patchy results earlier in the season but 7th position with a 10 point penalty is still decent.
Sunday XI Entertain Tabards
The Sunday Oaks comfortably won their Sunday friendly v The Tabard Pilgrims whose annual drive down from Chiswick was as raucous as ever, even more so with the addition of a Catherine, a feisty character from good stock, who downed at least seven pints of Doombar whilst entertaining a bumper crowd with her great humour and ageing, bemused looking, Chihuahua’s.
Out on the pitch, the star of the batting line-up was Mike Tiley who cruised his way to a first ton for Oakley with some great shot making in a partnership with Brett King who was learning how to stay at the crease and bat long with a patient knock of 35.
Thereafter it was about getting runs on the board and a series of cameos followed including a six from Jimmy Wiltshire, that if it wasn’t for the tree in cow corner, would have reached the Oakley duck pond.
The Oaks posted 237, a formidable total on a pitch where batting is always a challenge.
This proved to be the case and wickets for Freddie Booth, Tom Barnes and Kalum Sappumanage were followed by a first ever five wicket haul by Jim ‘The Spin’ Wiltshire, who bowled a bamboozling spell of wronguns, rightuns, notquiterightuns, sortofwronguns, googlies and booglies, to shatter the dreams of the ailing Tabards.
Five For: Wiltshire Dazzled and Bamboozled
The Tabards succumbed to 97 all out and got down to the real business of a Sunday cricket fixture by running Harry off his feet behind the bar. Catherine was now in full flow, teaching Harry some new ways of getting drunk. “Try Tia Maria and Bailey Harry, it’s a very smooth but it gets you shitfaced” was one line that will live long in the memory.
Personally, the Tabards is my favourite Sunday fixture. They are great bunch of people out for good old laugh and they are very supportive of Oakley as a club in terms of generating revenue behind the bar. After a few years struggling, it is great to see that they have generated new members to take them forward.
So then, thanks to Graham Barnes, Jeff and Tracey King for keeping the place up to scratch and clean during and after teas, Harry Lethaby for doing the bar and all the people who turned up to watch, including a guest appearance from Keith Lovelock.
A great day for Oakley Cricket Club and some sunshine at last!
It almost felt like summer.
Up the Oaks!