The Second XI’s roller coaster season continued yesterday, with a fine performance on a muggy day seeing off a good Sherfield side.
Steady Start and a Mini-Collapse
The Oaks got off to a solid start on a crackerjack of a pitch on a ground bereft of rain and looking more like a desert. Matt Burrell was, as usual, a calming influence. Even when Ben Robinson went for 10, all looked well as Dan Beckell steadied the ship.
However, a mini collapse saw the departure of Dan (18) Matt (35) and Jack (0) leaving The Oaks reeling on 83-4. At the crease were an out of touch Nellie Warner and Paddy Saines, making his first post-Covid appearance. Both good batsmen but perhaps not ideal in the situation?
Nellie and Paddy Start the Rebuild
Paddy and Nellie made nonsense of any concerns of a major collapse by steadily building. They survived some ripsnorters on a pitch kind to bowlers and pushed The Oaks onwards. On and on they went, turning the game back towards The Oaks as their partnership went past 100. It was fitting that they both passed 50 within a few balls of each other.
A mentally and physically exhausted Nellie eventually departed for an excellent 62. However, Paddy remained, happily playing a bit of second fiddle to a late Mike Bryant onslaught. Paddy finished unbeaten on 67, with Mike hitting 22 off 10 balls as The Oaks amassed a commendable but not necessarily commanding, 246.
The Defence of 246
What The Oaks knew about Sherfield was they bat deep and have three big hitters who go hard but offer chances. So, defending the target, it was a case of staying patient and taking the chances when the batters went aerial.
The chances did come but The Oaks kept spilling them. Some were easy, some tough, but they weren’t sticking as Mike Bryant simmered towards boiling point whilst the excellent Herbie Hamilton simply shrugged his shoulders. Then Mike took one himself, a key catch off a batsman going hard and fast at Matt Burrell. Mike then picked up an LBW and The Oaks stemmed the flow, at least for now.
Key Moments
Then a couple of key moments. With Matt Burrell and Bob Lethaby now bowling, the trick was to tempt out Dan Stewart and Kyle Frost. Matt is a clever field setter, but he can also (by his own admission) be expensive. This was the moment. Matt would either get tonked into oblivion, or the batters would not be able to resist him and make unforced errors.
Stewart settled, then smashed what look to be a six, right out of the middle of the bat. Will Rabley, seemingly out of duty rather than any hope of catching it, ran around from deep mid-wicket. Incredibly, he gobbled it up. A remarkable effort that dislocated his finger. Not to worry though, Big Mike yanked it back in without fuss as a watching Bob Lethaby struggled to not feint. Will cracked on with a monumental fielding display as if though nothing had happened. He’s a tough lad.
Bob then got in the action picking up a wicket off a fine edge smartly taken by Paddy behind the stumps. It wasn’t over though, as the imposing figure of Kyle Frost arrived at the crease with big intentions. He didn’t disappoint, hitting some mighty blows. Matt kept his nerve and the big fella spooned one to deep that Nellie gratefully took.
Job Nearly Done
With the big hitters gone, the job was nearly done. Bob Lethaby took the wicket of the Sherfield skipper, John Gibson, who made an admiral but chance laden 64. This involved Bob diving forward like a Tom Daley anti-Christ to take a caught and bowled that will hurt his body for days, weeks, possibly years. Matt took a further two wickets as Sherfield faded. Jack under the instructions of Bob and Matt to bowl a really shit delivery, got the final wicket, with the number 10 holing out to Noah Beckell who calmy held on.
So, an 88-run victory against a more than competent Sherfield, was an excellent achievement. They are a good side at this level and although the result looks comfortable, there were plenty of pivotal moments, notably at 83-4. A couple more wickets at that point then the whole game would have been different. Will’s catch was also at a period of the game where Sherfield were still right in it.
It was The Oak’s Day and deservedly so. It would be great to take this kind of performance into the last few games. Sherfield were, as always, good guests, spending money in the bar and enjoying their Saturday afternoon, regardless of the result.
On we travel.