So, here we are. We have arrived at the gates that say, ‘end of season’ and we are about to walk through them. What better way to finish a season than with a pathetic metaphor? With high pressure building once again, it looks like a remarkable season where every home game will have been completed in fine, warm, and sometimes very hot, conditions. The only blot on the copybook (check for another metaphor) being the abandonment of the Two’s at Basingstoke, typically when in a winning position.
It has been a season of ups, downs, if’s, buts and maybes, where for the First and Second XI, surges in form were punctuated by bad results. These were generally caused by our own fragility or ‘unfortunate’ umpiring decisions that were pivotal to outcomes. ‘Black Saturday’ and the end of any chances of a run at glory, came with a biblical Second XI collapse at Bentworth on the same day the First XI got done up like kippers by some poor umpiring at Oakley Park.
Ultimately though, we have not been quite good enough this season. The reality is, you can’t win every marginal game and there were plenty of matches where we snatched victories from the jaws of defeat. As the old saying goes, the final table doesn’t lie. Unless of course, it was published by Boris Johnson. Then we still might be in with a shout.
IBM Hursley v One’s
The Ones finish their campaign with a trip to newly promoted IBM Hursley who will be looking to seal the championship with a final day win. With Petersfield playing Hambledon, IBM are already promoted but a defeat will, likely, hand the title to one of Petersfield or Hambledon, which would be awkward.
Alex has a reasonable team at his disposal but will be missing the metronomic Stef Kaltner in a bowling line up that has struggled for line and length throughout the season. Tom Dickinson comes in whilst Brad Compton-Bearne is back in town against his favourite team (keep your shirt on Brad, it wasn’t out).
Steve Bown drops down to the Two’s due to being on new baby alert, with Nigel Bishop’s return to form in the Two’s seeing him promoted back to the One’s. With a dislocated finger slotted back into place at A&E last night, it’s hard to imagine what could go wrong for Nigel. Everything is a distinct possibility.
Buoyant IBM are overwhelming favourites to crush an Oaks team low on confidence. However, there is a steely determination in the team to go out with a bang. Many will predict a walkover, I don’t. I see ruddy heroes all over the pitch, wiping down blood, sweat and tears, with IBM no longer standing for ‘International Business Machines’. Instead, they will be known as ‘I’ve Been Massacred Hursley’.
You heard it here first…unless of course, The Oaks lose. Then you heard it somewhere else.
Two’s v St Mary’s
As an example of how the Second XI’s season has gone, Jack has only 5 players that featured in last week’s heroic and memorable thriller at St Mary Bourne. A game that has been dubbed by no one except me, as ‘The Battle of the Bourne’.
Only George and Bob Lethaby, Jeff Triner, Will Rabley and the Skip himself, remain from the ’Battle of the Bourne’ team to host St Mary’s, known by some as the Churchmen. This is because St Mary’s is a church. However, incoming is a vast array of talent. This includes, Steve Bown, Nelly Warner, Harry and Kris Tucknott, Kalum Sapumanage and the man so good, they named him twice, Alan (Alan) North.
It’s a line up that looks so good on paper, we should be in with a great shout of losing by 120 runs, especially as St Mary’s are below us in the league and there is no ‘Big Mike’ to scare us shitless and give us that Bourne Identity (see what I did there?). Whatever the case, St Mary’s are always good and sociable guests (unless Nathan is playing) so it should be a good spirited way to end the season.
Three’s v Aldershot
The Third Team have arguably been the most successful of the three this season. “Why would you say that?”, I hear no one cry. Well, any club who has three Saturday teams will tell you that getting 11 players on the pitch is a victory in itself. Plus, we might need a new captain and I need a hard sell. This week is no exception with availability but to go from having 3 available to 13, is probably our most remarkable effort to date. Skipper, Kris Tucknott, is in the Second XI this week as he wants an emotional and quite possibly tearful union with his son Harry, leaving the role vacant once again. There are places where you’d want to be with Kris. Next to you in a battle, isn’t one of them.
Once finding this out, Ollie Rabley was straight on the phone to the chairman, pleading for another opportunity. After a lengthy conversation about the pride, passion and leadership required for the Third XI, Bob agreed that Ollie is the man for the job, at least on an interim basis before he runs to the hills at around 6:30 PM. Once again, the new breed is dominant, with six current or recent colts representing us. They will be led by senior pros, Steve Savage, Deano, Ravi, and Phil Carpenter, with Ollie fighting back the raw tears of pride during the pre-match anthems.
Off to Winch
So, that’s it. The last preview of the 2022 season is done. Let’s all go out and enjoy our final fixtures and try and bring home a win or two. To go out on a club hat-trick would be as wonderful as it is unlikely, but we can at least give it a hearty go. After the game, all club members are welcome for a ‘beer on the house’ before as many of us as possible head down to a place that Ian, for reasons I can’t explain, calls ‘Winch’ (he means Winchester, but he used to play rugby).
Have a great day all, lets go out in style.
Vroom, vroom…up The Oaks!
