A poor display with the bat resulted in a heavy defeat at the hands of Basingstoke for the first team on Saturday.
Bowling first in hot conditions, the Oaks produced a decent performance, reducing Basingstoke to their first score under 200 this season. Pick of the bowlers was George Lethaby with 4-32, supported by Dan Sumner (2), Jack Green (2) and Steve Bown (1).
Oakley lost to Basingstoke in perfect conditions at Oakley Park
Chasing 196, Oakley got off to a terrible start with Clive Welsman run out in the first over and apart from some resistance from Michael Wood and Charlie Palmer, Tommy Holbrook lost partner after partner to bowling which was decent but certainly not hostile. It was a welcome return to form for Tom, who carried his bat, though he would have been disappointed at being left stranded on 52 not-out when he was seeing the ball so well.
Oakley need to learn to dig in more with the bat if they want a return to form, there were too many soft dismissals in what should have been a close game and Basingstoke will see it as victory they were gifted rather than one they had to earn.
Onwards and upwards
Up the Oaks